Brazilian women to take Bayer to court over Essure side effects

In 2019, multinational pharmaceutical firm Bayer took its permanent birth control device Essure off the market in Brazil amid a slew of complaints from women who suffered severe complications after use.

Consisting of a pair of metal coils implanted into each fallopian tube, Essure functions as a method of permanent sterilization by inducing fibrosis and creating blockages, stopping eggs from being released, and keeping sperm from reaching the ovules. Bayer stresses that its “innovative” product is safe, yet a high number of users in Brazil, the U.S., and Europe have developed intense pain and severe complications after receiving the implant, which has not subsided years after receiving the product.

Besides headaches and localized pain in the pelvis, lower back, legs, and joints, there have also been cases of depression, diminished libido, and chronic lethargy reported among Essure users.

In Brazil, this problem takes on a worrying public health angle, as Essure was offered for free on the national health system (SUS). Many of the patients were low-income women living on the disadvantaged outskirts of Brazil’s major cities.

Upon reporting their side effects, several patients allege that...