Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Robert Blanchard
Profession: Attorney at Law

Category: Ortho Evra Legal News

On April 9, 2006, the New York Post reported that women who experienced life-threatening blood clots while using the Ortho Evra birth control patch were awarded cash settlements by manufacturer Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.

In the past few months, the company has reportedly settled a dozen Ortho Evra lawsuits for millions of dollars. More than 100 cases are still pending, including the death of an 18-year-old New York fashion design student using the Ortho Evra patch.

With many other drugs, linking them directly to death or injury can be difficult because it is coupled with other health problems. This is not the case with the Ortho Evra patch. Most of the victims of blood clots and strokes while using the patch have been healthy women of child-bearing age with no history of past medical problems.

The FDA even acknowledged in February of this year that women using the Ortho Evra patch have an elevated bloot clot risk. A CBS news story out of Austin, Texas reported that more than 500 serious ortho evra health problem complaints were sent to Ortho-McNeil by patch users between April 2002 and December 2004. This is a much larger number than the 61 reported problems by users of all types of oral contraceptives during the same time frame.

Ortho-McNeil has reportedly admitted that women who use the Ortho Evra patch can be exposed to up to 60% more estrogen than if they were taking birth control pills, which may contribute to an increased risk of complications.