The manufacturer of the Ortho Evra patch has agreed to settle lawsuits filed in three Canadian provinces by women who were injured after using the birth control patch. The lawsuits involved 22 women in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec who used the Evra birth control patch, the Canadian version of Ortho Evra.

In their lawsuits, the women alleged that the manufacturer of the patch failed to warn them of the increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots or deep vein thrombosis they faced from using the patch. Studies have shown that women who use the Ortho Evra patch face double the risk of side effects compared with women who use the pill. The Evra patch contains less estrogen and is manufactured differently than its American equivalent.

According to an attorney who represents some of the plaintiffs, a hearing has been scheduled in March to end the lawsuits filed by Evra users. Women who have been injured after using the birth control patch can come forward and be included in the settlement before that time, the attorney said.