Ortho Evra Dangerous Drug and Product Liability
Between 2000 and 2006 alone, over 65,000 product liability lawsuits have been filed against prescription drug makers. This totals more lawsuits than in any other industry. Although there are no medications that are completely free from side effects, the dangers of Ortho Evra birth control patch have proved to be life altering and outweigh any potential benefits of the drug.
Most birth control prescriptions carry side effects such as mood swings and weight gain. However, in addition to these common uncomfortable side effects, Ortho Evra has been linked to potentially life-threatening conditions such as Deep Vein Thrombosis. Blood clots caused by Ortho Evra can lead to medical complications, including strokes, pulmonary embolisms and even death.
Despite the fact that most birth control pills do carry the risks of blood clots, many people using the Ortho Evra patch weren’t aware that using the patch instead of other birth control methods means serious medical conditions are three times more likely to occur. An experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri will be able to help determine whether you have a case against the drug manufacturer.
A 2004 study on birth control methods and the patch concluded that there was a 300 percent increase in both blood clots and cardiovascular complications in women who used the patch over the pill. In November 2005, the FDA issued a warning of this finding to consumers and also encouraged Johnson & Johnson to strengthen the drug’s warning label. .
The main risks with the patch are increased because Ortho Evra exposes women directly to increased levels of estrogen, as the patch adheres directly to the skin. This exposes women to increased blood coagulation at the patch site. As a result, many women developed blood clots inside of their blood vessels, which caused complications like strokes that can cause death due to the dangerous drug Ortho Evra.
Although the FDA warns of the increased risk of blood clots from taking birth control, using the patch makes these adverse effects three times more likely, and this was not always frequently and adequately disclosed. Many Ortho Evra users were not fully aware of the risks associated with their medication because drug makers did not comply with full disclosure and adequate warning requirements. Women should not be put at three times the threat of developing serious medical conditions or risk death because of a choice in birth control.
The deaths of twenty-three women and countless complications have been linked to using Ortho Evra. If using Ortho Evra or any other birth control patch has caused injury to you or a loved one, you are entitled to legal action. Call Page Cagle, a top St. Louis, MO Personal Injury Firm, to speak with an experienced Missouri injury attorney for free. You pay nothing until you recover.
Call for a free consultation at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit www.injuredclient.com for more information
