TRIP

Birth control recall raises risk of unplanned pregnancy

Reuters Health News, 2012

Packaging and samples of Lo/Ovral-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) birth control tablets are seen in this handout photo released by the U.S.
BOSTON (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc is reaching out directly to women consumers to warn them about its U.S.
recall of one million packets of birth control pills as concerns mounted that a manufacturing error could raise the risk of unplanned pregnancies.
The world's largest drugmaker recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 and 14 lots of the generic counterpart Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol late on Tuesday, prompting panicked exchanges on social media like Twitter.
Litigators began soliciting new clients who may have suffered health problems or unplanned pregnancy as a result.
"Unfortunately, this manufacturing error diminishes people's confidence in an extremely important and safe method of contraception," said Dr.
Vanessa Cullins, vice president for external medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Cullins noted this version of birth control has been in use for decades and remains safe and effective.
Pfizer said on Wednesday that the error may have been limited to 30 packets of the birth control pills, in which the "placebo" tablets taken at the beginning of a woman's menstrual cycle were placed in the wrong order with the pills that contain the contraceptive's active ingredient.
The placebo pills, which are different color from the active tablets, were placed in the blister pack out of order during the automated packaging process in a few random packets manufactured throughout 2011, company spokeswoman Kristen Neese said.
Pfizer was alerted to the problem when a consumer noticed a discolored pill in the middle of a pack, she said.