Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Robert Blanchard
Profession: Attorney at Law

Category: Ortho Evra Legal News

An April 22, 2006, New York Times article identified Johnson & Johnson's Ortho-Evra birth control patch as one of the next drugs in the legal spotlight.

The article reports that lawsuits over Ortho-Evra's blood clot and stroke side effects are becoming more prevalent, with many attorneys following the line of arguement successfully used in the recent Vioxx litigation. While the Ortho Evra birth control patch is still on the market, the FDA continues to investigate side effect reports for this and other prescription drugs.

Tim O'Brien, who edits our firm's Fosamax blog is quoted in the article:

But the cases may offer some advantage for plaintiffs compared with Vioxx suits, said Tim M. O'Brien, a partner with Levin Papantonio. In both the Ortho-Evra and Fosamax cases, plaintiffs have a "signature disease," a condition that is closely linked to use of the drug but is otherwise very rare. The use of contraceptive patches has been linked to blood clots, which are unusual in women of childbearing age, while the jaw decay associated with Fosamax is also very rare. In contrast, the heart attacks that plaintiffs' lawyers assert were caused by Vioxx have many other causes.

"Those cases that are retained are going to be easier to prove than the Vioxx cases," Mr. O'Brien said.

If you or someone you know has had a blood clot, stroke or heart attack while taking Ortho Evra, take the time to get a free consultation with an attorney from our firm using the form to the right.