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Lawsuit Blames Ortho Evra Patch for Woman's Blood Clots

A 30-year-old Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against several defendants, alleging that the deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in her leg was caused by use of the Ortho Evra birth control patch.

The woman was admitted to a hospital in April 2003 after experiencing severe pain in her lower leg. She had been using Ortho Evra for only four months at the time of the diagnosis. After a week-long stay at the hospital, the woman was required to remain on blood thinners for several months.

Prior Warnings about Ortho Evra

The Food and Drug Administration noted in late 2005 that women who use the Ortho Evra patch are exposed to an increased level of estrogen, and that high levels of estrogen can cause blood clots. The Ortho Evra patch exposes users to up to 60 percent more estrogen compared to oral contraceptives, in part because the patch’s estrogen is delivered directly through a patch on the skin.

In 2005, the Associated Press (AP) news service reported that Ortho Evra users experience blood clots and clot-related death at a rate three times that of women using oral contraceptives. Many lawsuits have been filed on behalf of women whose blood clots were apparently caused by use of the Ortho Evra patch, which is made by Ortho-McNeil, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

The Florida woman’s lawsuit alleges that Ortho-McNeil did not notify Ortho Evra patch users of the potential serious side effects until months after the AP report. In addition, Ortho-McNeil has not issued a recall of the patch.

(Source: eMediawire)

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