Ortho Evra is a birth control patch approved for use in the United States as an alternative to 'the pill'. It is applied to the skin and releases synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones to prevent pregnancy.
However, this method of birth control has been associated with an especially high risk of blood clots. This is true even in populations thought to be at lower risk for such events. A number of women in their late teens and early twenties have died from blood clots or survived life-threatening strokes and other clot-related problems after being prescribed Ortho Evra.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and patch manufacturer Ortho McNeil saw warning signs of possible problems with the patch well before it reached the market, but both claim that the patch is as safe as the pill. However, some reports appear to indicate that the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the patch was about three times higher than while using birth control pills. This is startling news in light of the quantity of women who are prescribed the patch.
If you or a loved one has been prescribed the Ortho Evra birth control patch and experienced serious side effects, contact us today.