An international pharmaceutical company is being sued after a permanent contraceptive device allegedly left tens of thousands of women worldwide with perforations, nickel poisoning and chronic pain.
The device, known as Essure and also available in South Africa, is a soft, flexible insert placed into the fallopian tubes.
Over three months a barrier forms around the inserts which are intended to block the fallopian tubes and permanently prevent pregnancy.
But there have been reports women experienced changes in menstrual bleeding, unintended pregnancy, chronic pain, perforation and migration of the device, allergic reactions and immune-type reactions after being implanted with the device, which is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Bayer.
According to The Guardian in Australia, a law firm now intends leading a class action against Bayer representing Australian women suffering severe complications.
Slater and Gordon associate Ebony Birchall said the device had been known to corrode,
exposing women to
nickel poisoning.
For many women, a complete hysterectomy was the only safe way to remove the device.
Birchall said the class action would consider whether the product was inherently defective.
The Essure device is the subject of about 16 000 lawsuits in the US.
The paper said Bayer has not provided details of how many of the device were sold worldwide.
A spokeswoman said Bayer was aware of the Australian class action.
“Bayer respects the rights of every individual to seek legal advice and take such further action as they may be advised,” she said.