Ortho Evra Warning
On November 10, 2005, the Food and Drug Administration approved an updated label for Ortho Evra, a contraceptive patch. The new label is to warn healthcare providers as well as their patients, that using the Ortho Evra patch introduces women to a higher level of estrogen than most birth control pills. While birth control pills, in general, introduce estrogen into the patient’s blood stream, the Ortho Evra patch maintains a constant level of estrogen in the blood stream. Because of the higher level of estrogen, users of Ortho Evra may be more likely to experience blood clots. These risks increase for women who smoke or are over 35.
The birth control patch has been linked to the deaths of at least seventeen young American women over the past two years. Approximately 4 million women have used the Ortho Evra Patch since it went on sale in 2002. FDA records show that seventeen patch users between the ages of 17 and 30 have suffered fatal heart attacks, blood clots and possible strokes since August 2002. Ortho-McNeil, the manufacturer or the birth control patch, has aggressively marketed the patch as a convenient alternative to oral birth control pills.
If you or a loved one has experienced blood clots and related complications, please contact the lawyers of Hill Boren. With offices in Memphis and Jackson, Tennessee, the lawyers of Hill Boren have been recognized as one of the premier personal injury and product liability firms in Tennessee.