Erin Brockovich has started a new campaign to take a particular birth control device off the market, saying she’s seen and heard claims from thousands of women who say they suffered injuries after using it.
Essure, which is known as a cheaper alternative to a full tubal ligation, consists of bendable coils which are placed in the fallopian tubes and cause scar tissue to form and prevent insemination. However, there have been reports from several women that the tubes caused bleeding, extreme abdominal pain, and even led to invasive surgeries to remove organs. One woman was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain and eventually died from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
“There’s something wrong with the device, in my opinion,” Brockovich said. “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.”
Brockovich says she doesn’t stand to gain anything financially from the campaign, but is urging Bayer–the maker of Essure–to take the device off the market completely in the name of safety.
“[Bayer] should care about the health and welfare of all people,” she said. “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.”
