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J&J may have known about Ortho Evra risks for years

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:48:35 +0000

The manufacturer of the Ortho Evra patch may have known for years about the health risks of the product, new reports have revealed. Patient data from 2002 to 2004 showed that women taking Ortho Evra were 12 times more likely to suffer a heart attack and 18 times more likely to suffer a stroke than users of traditional birth control pills.

Experts say the reason for the high risk of Ortho Evra side effects is that the patch delivers a continuous and high level dose of estrogen. This dose of estrogen is 60 percent higher than birth control pills. While on the patch estrogen continues to flow into the blood stream for an entire week, while the pill dissolves quickly into the system.

The consumer group Public Citizen sent a petition to the Food and Drug Administration in 2008 requesting that the agency remove the contraceptive from the market. Sidney Wolfe, Medical Director of Public Citizen, alleges that the risks clearly outweigh the benefits.

Currently over 2,400 woman have alleged suffering from Ortho Evra side effects, with lawsuits claiming that more then 12 woman have died. One such case includes a college freshman, Adrianna Duffy, who suddenly collapsed in her dorm room and died following her prescription of the Ortho Evra birth control patch.

Health group calls for Ortho Evra ban

admin — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:44:46 +0000

A leading consumer advocacy group called on the Food and Drug Administration to ban the Ortho Evra birth control patch in May 2008. Public Citizen states that the patch carries an unreasonable risk of causing blood clots and other side effects due to the increased estrogen dose received by Ortho Evra users.

Studies have found that women who use Ortho Evra are twice as likely to suffer blood clots or other side effects as are users of other popular birth control products. Patients taking Ortho Evra receive about 60% more estrogen than users of comparable birth control pills. The estrogen found in hormonal contraceptives has long been linked to an increased danger of blood clots.

In January 2008, the FDA added a warning to the prescription label for Ortho Evra that women using the patch may face an increased risk of blood clots. Public Citizen has filed a petition with the agency, stating that because the risk of blood clots from the birth control patch outweigh its contraceptive benefits, it should be recalled.

Side effects of Ortho Evra among the most commonly misdiagnosed

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:40:21 +0000

A November 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that a number of side effects linked to the Ortho Evra patch are among the most commonly missed or delayed diagnoses by physicians. A survey of more than 300 physicians found that cases of pulmonary embolism and stroke frequently resulted in diagnostic errors due to mistakes in assessing patients or other factors.

The Ortho Evra birth control patch has been linked to a number of serious and potentially deadly side effects, including blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, heart attack and stroke. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to Ortho Evra users after a study revealed that the birth control patch was twice as likely to cause blood clots as birth control pills.

The consumers group Public Citizen has called on the FDA to take Ortho Evra off of the market, citing the risk of blood clots and other side effects faced by users of the birth control patch. Despite these efforts, the FDA has yet to announce plans to issue an Ortho Evra recall.

Side effects of Ortho Evra among the most commonly misdiagnosed

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:10:06 +0000

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that a number of conditions linked to the use of the Ortho Evra patch are commonly overlooked by physicians. A survey of more than 300 physicians found that pulmonary embolisms and strokes were frequently misdiagnosed due to mistakes in assessing patients or other factors.

The consumers group Public Citizen has called on the FDA to take Ortho Evra off of the market, citing the risk of blood clots and other side effects faced by users of the birth control patch. In spite of these efforts, the FDA has yet to announce plans to issue an Ortho Evra recall.

FDA approves new Ortho Evra patch warning

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:53:50 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration has approved new labeling changes to the Ortho Evra birth control patch intended to warn users about an increased risk of blood clots and other side effects. According to the new warning, women who use the Ortho Evra patch may be more than twice as likely to suffer serious blood clots as women who are using birth control pills.

The new FDA warning was based on the results of several studies which examined the potential link between Ortho Evra and blood clots or other side effects. Other studies have also found that women who use the Ortho Evra patch may double their risk of blood clots. These clots can increase the risk of other serious side effects, including heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism.

More than 4,000 women who used Ortho Evra have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of the birth control patch, alleging that they concealed information about its safety from consumers. Because the Ortho Evra patch releases about 60% more estrogen into the body than birth control pills, these women allege that they were unwittingly exposed to an increased risk of deep-vein thrombosis or other conditions.