Nearly 500 SA Women Consider Class Action Over Faulty Birth Control Pills

• Nearly 500 South African women have approached LHL Attorneys after falling pregnant while using Yaz Plus contraceptive pills from a recalled batch
• The affected packs allegedly contained 24 placebo pills and only 4 active hormone pills, the reverse of what they should have held
• Lawyers are now gathering medical and pharmacy records, with class action approval set to be applied for in 2027

Nearly 500 South African women are exploring legal action after a batch of Yaz Plus contraceptive pills was found to contain the wrong sequence of tablets, potentially causing unplanned pregnancies.

Media reports shared the story on 3 September 2026, bringing widespread attention to a product recall that had quietly taken place nearly two years earlier.

What went wrong

Each Yaz Plus blister pack is designed to contain 24 active hormone pills and 4 placebo pills. However, certain packs from a defective batch allegedly held the exact opposite: 24 placebos and only 4 active hormone tablets. Women who took these packs as directed would have received almost no contraceptive protection for most of the month without knowing it.

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According to LHL Attorneys, the defective batch carried the number WEW96J with an expiry date of March 2026 and was in circulation between November 2023 and January 2025. The recall was only initiated in November 2024, meaning the faulty product had been on shelves for roughly a year before it was pulled.

Class action still in early stages

LHL Attorneys is currently investigating whether a class action lawsuit against Bayer South Africa can proceed. It is important to note that the nearly 500 women who have come forward are considered inquiries at this stage, not confirmed claimants. The case has also not yet been certified as a class action.

Lawyers are now collecting medical and pharmacy records to establish which unplanned pregnancies can be directly linked to the recalled batch. Women who used Yaz Plus between 2023 and 2025 and experienced an unintended pregnancy while taking the pill correctly may be eligible to join the investigation.

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The legal team is aiming to apply for formal class action approval in 2027. The firm operates on a no-win, no-fee basis, and women do not need to appear in court to be part of the process.

Under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, manufacturers and distributors can be held liable for defective products, regardless of whether they were aware of the defect at the time of sale.

Watch the full clip that sparked the conversation:

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Source: Briefly News