14 DAY TRIAL // Famed lawyer Erin Brockovich, whose work in fighting Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has been popularized via a Julia Roberts flick, is trying to get Essure birth control method banned.
According to ABC News, Brockovich has received a number of complaints from Essure users. They are claiming that the adverse effects of the permanent sterilization tool are also permanent.
The side effects include chronic pain, headaches, nausea and a flurry of allergic reactions. Brockovich has already started an online campaign to stop women from using Essure and a petition on the issue.
She explains that there are thousands of documented cases of patients suffering the harmful effects of the procedure.
"There's something wrong with the device, in my opinion. [...] It's a form of permanent birth control, and women's organs are being perforated.
"It's ridiculous that at any level we try to defend this. If 30 women did suffer harm for unknown reason, we'd investigate. We have thousands injured. I don't think it's safe," she says.
800 users of Essure have already filed formal complaints with the FDA. The procedure has been FDA approved since 2002. Brockovich is campaigning for Bayer, who owns Essure, to take it off the market.
"[Bayer] should care about the health and welfare of all people. Especially women and children in this country. If this many are reporting injuries, take it off the market. It's not working. These women were misled. They feel they were scammed," she comments.
She further claims that the patients have not been informed about the possible side effects.