Risks of Ortho Evra
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The Boston Globe reported yesterday on the risks associated with the birth control patch, Ortho Evra, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. The article reported the story of an otherwise healthy 17-year-old, Adrianna Duffy, who recently died from a pulmonary embolism after being on the patch.
Thousands of lawsuits have been brought against the makers of Ortho Evra, Johnson & Johnson, by women who used it and suffered heart attacks, strokes, or blood clots. At least 20 of the women named in the lawsuits died after using the patch. Though sales of the drug have plummeted by about 75 percent since word of its side effects spread, at least 2 million women still use it, and it’s still approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
So far, Johnson & Johnson has paid out $70 million to settle the suits. Claims arose that Johnson & Johnson was ignoring the risks that were associated with such high estrogen levels. Although Johnson & Johnson has dismissed these claims, it has changed the label on Ortho Evra three times to show its estrogen levels and to warn of the possible risks associated with such high levels.
Sidney Wolfe, director of the Health Research Group at Public Citizen, says that the estrogen levels in Ortho Evra are far higher than in birth control pills and these levels greatly increase a woman's risk for blood clots.
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