Ortho Evra: The Patch

"FDA says patch has blood clot risks." Fortune 500. November 11, 2005.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/11/news/fortune500/patch/

Many women when searching for a method of birth control look for a low maintenance and relatively simple way to prevent pregnancy. Therefore, the idea of a patch applied to the skin that will prevent pregnancy without having to remember any oral dosages or worry about skipping days or taking doses on the wrong days is very appealing. The birth control patch Ortho Evra, from Johnson and Johnson, promises this convenience by offering woman a patch applied weekly that secretes hormones transdermally into the bloodstream. The patch is advertised as an option for “women on-the-go” and will not come off in the shower and is the perfect option for busy women whether “running errands or running late for class.”

However, after being on the market for a period of time, a positive correlation between the patch Ortho Evra and an increase in blood clots among women began to show in groups of women using the patch. After review by the FDA, the patch was found to have released up to 60% more estrogen than the average amount released by a daily oral contraceptive. The FDA said that Johnson and Johnson will be required to print a warning on the Ortho Evra product, but the correlation was not strong enough to completely pull the product off the shelf. After ten women who experienced stroke and/or blood clots filed a lawsuit in New Jersey against Johnson and Johnson and its affiliated pharmaceutical company Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals, the company maintains that if the patch is used according to instructions that it is a safe and effective form of birth control. Johnson and Johnson released the statement that “[t]he safety of the patients who use our products is our first priority, and we take all adverse event reports seriously”

Additional source: http://www.orthoevra.com/

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