Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch

The Ortho-Evra Contraceptive Transdermal (Skin) Patch (manufactured by Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals, a division of Johnson and Johnson) was the first skin patch approved for birth control by the FDA in 2001.  The weekly-applied prescription patch was touted by its manufacturer as being as safe and effective as oral contraceptives. However, there is one major difference between oral contraceptives and the Ortho-Evra birth control patch in that the skin patch delivers hormones directly into the blood stream. Because the hormones are processed by the body differently than hormones from birth control pills, women using the product will be exposed to about 60% more estrogen than if they were using typical birth control pills containing 35 micrograms of estrogen.

Side effects with the patch are comparably more serious than with oral contraceptives and have been shown to significantly increase the chances of thrombotic events including blood clots, strokes, and pulmonary embolism in women. From April 2002 through September 2003, the FDA logged over 9,000 reports of adverse reactions to the Ortho-Evra patch. During that same time, there were only 1,200 reports of adverse events in connection with Ortho Tri-Cylcen, the leading oral contraceptive. Currently, there is a class action and many individual lawsuits pending involving Ortho-Evra.  To date, this product has not been recalled and continues to be used by thousands of women.

Please contact Alley, Clark & Greiwe for more information about these claims.

Helpful Links:

Click here to read more information about the patch

Click here to read the FDA Safety Information about the patch