Law firm LHL Attorneys Inc. is currently examining the possibility of a class action lawsuit against Bayer (Pty) Ltd following a significant packaging error involving YAZ PLUS oral contraceptive pills, which has resulted in numerous unintended pregnancies among women in South Africa.

The defect, noted in a specific batch of YAZ PLUS contraceptive pills distributed from November 2023, prompted the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to issue a nationwide Class II recall on November 21, 2024.

Affected blister packs from batch number WEW96J mistakenly contained 24 hormone-free (light orange) tablets alongside only four active hormone (pink) tablets, in a reversal of the intended design of 24 active and four placebo tablets. This critical error has been described as one that "drastically undermined contraceptive efficacy," according to both SAHPRA and Bayer.