Australian Women Lose Class Action Against Bayer Over Essure Device

The court ruled insufficient evidence linked the contraceptive device to reported health issues, leaving over 1,400 plaintiffs disappointed.

The Victorian Supreme Court ruled in favor of Bayer, stating that evidence did not prove the Essure device caused chronic health problems as claimed by plaintiffs.
The class action involved over 1,400 Australian women who reported severe side effects from the permanent contraceptive device, including chronic pelvic pain and abnormal uterine bleeding.
Justice Andrew Keogh noted that such health issues are common among women of reproductive age and often have multifactorial causes, making causation difficult to establish.
Bayer has previously settled similar lawsuits in the United States for $2.4 billion but continues to deny widespread problems with Essure, which was withdrawn from the Australian market in 2017 for commercial reasons.
The case has reignited concerns about gender bias in medical research and healthcare, with advocates calling for greater focus on women's health issues and equitable treatment.