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Ortho Evra Contraceptive Patch Side Effects
A class action lawsuit is currently being investigated against Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, to determine whether it failed to disclose that the side effects and risks of blood clots, stroke or heart attacks are greater for women using the patch (almost 10 million prescriptions written in 2004 alone) than for women using birth control pills. In January, 2008 the FDA warned that women who use Ortho Evra are more likely to suffer blood clots than women who use birth control pills.
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| Ortho Evra Patch: Personal Stories and Interviews |
Ortho Evra Patch: 20-year-old Katie’s Account
I would like the opportunity to ask these questions to the manufacturer of the Ortho Evra Patch: Why did you target such a young market, saying it was so convenient, that you don't have to worry about taking a pill every day... look at the worries you have created," says Katie, age 20.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA ACCOUNT]
Ortho Evra Patch Victim: I Want to Warn Others
 Gillian was prescribed the Ortho Evra Patch in November, 2006 and was told there were no risks to her. "My doctor said that with hormonal contraceptives there was a risk of blood clots but with my family history, I would be fine," says Gillian. Her doctor was so wrong.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA VICTIM]
Ortho Evra Patch: 18-year-old Suffered Two Strokes
"I read some articles about the Ortho Evra Patch on your web site and that prompted me to tell my story and get legal help," says Jennifer Gardner. When she was just 18 years old, Jennifer suffered two strokes causing irreparable damage. When Jennifer's cardiologist found out she was on the Patch, he told her to rip it off immediately.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA STROKE]
Ortho Evra Patch: Full-Blown Stroke
 Davida Godett woke up one morning to find her entire left side numb and her vision blurred. She had suffered a mini-stroke. She was also on the Ortho Evra Patch. "I was on the Patch for a few years until the Emergency Room doctors told me to rip it off," she says.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA STROKE]
Ortho Evra Patch Caused Daughter’s Death
"My daughter took the Ortho Evra patch in 2004," says April. "She started to have chest pains but her doctor thought it was just an infection." Eryn was only 24 years old when she passed away. "Some days I just don't want to go on."
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA DEATH]
 Ortho Evra Patch: Lucky to be Alive
"It amazes me that Ortho-McNeil, makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, are still putting this product on the market," says Linda Hall. "After what I went through, I am so lucky to be here and thank god I am alive."
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA STROKE]
Ortho Evra Patch should be Banned
Judy Baker is shocked that the Ortho Evra patch is still available. Baker developed a painful and life-threatening blood clot, and because of her ordeal, she wants to warn women to stay off the patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA BANNED?]
 Ortho Evra Patch Linked to Blood Clot
In June 2006, Amanda Grenon, aged 25, experienced severe leg cramps and swelling that caused excruciating pain. She had recently been on the Ortho Evra Patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA BLOOD CLOT]
Ortho Evra Users want Justice Served
After suffering months of painful blood clots and a battery of expensive tests, assistant prosecuting attorney Angela Leick wants to see justice served to Johnson & Johnson and Ortho McNeil pharmaceuticals, the makers of the Ortho Evra Patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA JUSTICE]
Yet Another Case Against Ortho Evra
Fortunately for Jessica Cash she stopped wearing the Ortho Evra patch after two years. Had she stayed on the patch any longer, Cash believes that she could have developed a blood clot much more dangerous than the one she has.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA CASE]
Would the drug makers prescribe the Ortho Evra patch to their loved ones?
 "By the sheer grace of God I am here. I hope I can tell my story and help to get the Ortho Evra patch off the market and get women to stop taking it. I took birth control to be responsible, not to put myself three quarters of the way into the grave."
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA PRESCRIBED]
| First Patch Deaths Reported |
July 17th, 2005, the Associated Press International (API) reported that they were aware of at least a dozen women, most in their late teens and twenties who died in 2004 due to blood clots that are believed to be related to the use of the Ortho Evra Patch. According to 16,000 federal drug reports filed with the FDA, dozens more women survived strokes and other blood-clot related side effects In fact, API found 23 different fatalities associated with the patch, but the primary cause of death in each case was not always clear.
Some people suspect that there are many more deaths related to Ortho Evra but that aren't reported as such because coroners or doctors are not considering the effect of birth control in the fatal or near-fatal event, so they are not reporting all cases to the government.
These cases are incredible tragedies for the victims and their families. In one case, a 25 year old woman had a stroke and was placed in the Intensive Care Unit, where her condition was so fragile that her family was unable to speak or touch her in any way because even the slightest amount of stimulation could create a fatal level of pressure on her brain.
After the death of this beloved sister, daughter and wife, the coroner stated that her headaches and stroke may have been side effects of the high hormone levels in Ortho-Evra. In March 2004, a young woman from New York died after being on the patch six weeks. A 17-year-old St. Louis girl using Ortho-Evra died from a pulmonary embolism which is a deadly blood clot.
Young women are typically at low risk for blood clots and strokes, but with the use of Ortho Evra, these young women are having strokes, heart attacks and even dying at increased rates.
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| Ortho Changes Warning Label |
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In November 2005, Ortho McNeil, the makers of Ortho Evra , revised the birth control warning label to include additional risks and side effects:
"Most side effects of the Patch are not serious and those that are, occur infrequently. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke and heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes."
Women using the Ortho Evra Patch are "exposed to about 60% more estrogen if they use ORTHO EVRA than if they use a typical birth control pill containing 35 micrograms of estrogen. In general, increased estrogen exposure increases the risk of side effects."
These changes to the label do little to warn women and their doctors of the potential risk of dying while using the Ortho Evra birth control patch.
Ortho Evra was the first contraceptive patch approved in 2002 by the FDA for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals under the giant company Johnson and Johnson. Ortho Evra and other birth control methods for these pharmaceutical companies generates over $1 billion in annual sales.
It is alleged that the FDA and the drug maker saw warning signs of problems with the Ortho-Evra patch before it was approved for the general market. Both entities maintain that the medication is as safe as any other pill-form birth control. However, a study with 800,000 women in 2004 showed that using the birth control patch increased the risk of dying or suffering a blood clot three times more than regular birth control pills.
Unaware of the risks, doctors prescribe medications with little thought. It's an unfortunate reality that many doctors are incentivized to prescribe brand name medications; they are legally paid what is essentially the equivalent of sales commissions or receive other incentives such as lunches, parties, clip boards, note pads, and more. These financial incentives bring up a plethora of ethical and liability issues.
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| Ortho Evra Patch: More News and Articles |
Public Citizen Wants Ortho-Evra GONE…
The push to get what many believe is a dangerous product off the market got a helping hand yesterday when Public Citizen petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pull the Ortho-Evra contraceptive patch off the market.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA DANGEROUS]
Ortho Evra Patch: Silence Is Not the Answer
Currently, more than 3,000 women and their families in the United States are suing Johnson and Johnson, the makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, because they have suffered life threatening adverse health effects such as blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke, as a result of using this controversial form of birth control. Some 40 women have died while using it.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA SILENCE]
 Ortho Evra Patch: Timeline of Events
November 20, 2001: Ortho-McNeil wins Food and Drug Administration approval for the Ortho Evra birth control patch, an adhesive patch that releases the hormones progestin and estrogen into a woman's body.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA TIMELINE]
Ortho Evra Patch Versus Traditional Contraceptives
Ortho-McNeil introduced the Ortho Evra birth control patch in 2002. At that time, many women and their doctors were excited, thinking of it as a major contraceptive breakthrough. Whereas a woman on birth control pills had to take one daily, the Ortho Evra patch would be applied to the skin once a week.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA PATCH]
 J&J Concealed Dangers of Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch
Tens of millions of prescriptions have been written for Johnson & Johnson's Ortho Evra birth control patch since it arrived on the market in 2002, and medical experts say the patch has harmed thousands of young women of childbearing age.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA DANGERS]
Another class action lawsuit against Ortho Evra Makers
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., a division of Johnson and Johnson Inc., on behalf of the estate of a 26-year-old woman.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA CLASS ACTION]
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| Ortho Evra Press Releases |
MAY-08-08: She was just 18 when the Ortho Evra patch claimed her life. A student, studying for a career in fashion. After she collapsed in a Manhattan subway in April 2005 and subsequently died, an autopsy revealed that a blood clot had formed and moved into the young lady's lung.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA COST]
 AUG-16-07: A group of doctors in Tennessee has decided to stop prescribing the Ortho Evra patch to patients over concerns that the device could increase their risk of blood clots or other problems.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA HESITATION]
JUL-27-07: Women who suffered negative side effects after using the Ortho Evra birth control patch are filing lawsuits against Ortho McNeil, makers of the birth control patch. The suits allege that the patch resulted in serious health problems, including blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA LAWSUITS]
 MAY-30-07: On its website, Novum Pharmaceutical Research Services states that "Your participation in a clinical research study provides quality information to pharmaceutical companies" and it also states that the "Novum experience is healthy because you receive a free screening physical."
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA CLINICAL TRIALS]
MAY-20-07: At least 100 lawsuits have been filed against Ortho-McNeil, the manufacturer of the Ortho Evra patch, alleging that the company knew about the risks associated with using the patch but did not properly warn consumers.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA DOCTORS]
MAR-08-07: Most women take the Ortho Evra Patch because it is more convenient than the birth control pill - they don't have to remember to take it every day. But the Patch has proven to be way more inconvenient than the pill.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA ESTROGEN]
NOV-05-07: Ortho Evra birth control patch lawsuits are becoming increasingly common as very young women are suffering heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and pulmonary embolism while using the patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA LITIGATION]
OCT-23-07: On October 17, 2006, News Inferno announced that another lawsuit had been filed against Ortho-McNeil, a division of Johnson & Johnson, on behalf of a young Idaho women who was 17 when she was prescribed the Ortho Evra birth control patch, and in less than a month, she developed deep vein thrombosis, a potentially fatal blood clot condition.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA LAWSUITS]
OCT-13-07: During one 17-month period between April 2002 and September 2003, the FDA received 9,116 adverse reaction reports on the Ortho Evra birth control patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA STATISTICS]
SEP-18-07: More than 500 claimants are seeking "substantial compensatory and, where available, punitive damages," from Johnson & Johnson for injuries and deaths related to the Ortho Evra birth control patch, according to the company's Second Quarter Report filed with the SEC.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA SETTLES]
SEP-17-07: According to Johnson & Johnson's latest SEC filing for the Second Quarter of 2006, the company is currently facing 500 claimants in lawsuits related to deaths and injuries caused by the Ortho Evra birth control patch.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA VICTIMS]
AUG-09-07: The makers of Ortho Evra are learning that there is such a thing as too much estrogen, as more and more lawsuits are being filed against them.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA ESTROGEN]
JUN-03-06: On May 2, 2006, Johnson & Johnson attorney, Susan Sharko, wrote to New Jersey Superior Court Judge, Peter Bariso, to inform the court that the company had reached confidential settlements with 11 of the 12 plaintiffs involved in litigation in New Jersey.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA ESTROGEN]
APR-19-06: Documents have surfaced in litigation that show Ortho-McNeil has been analyzing the FDA's death and injury reports on women using the Ortho Evra birth-control patch, and has charts that show a higher rate of blood clots and deaths in women on the patch when compared to women who take birth-control pills.
[ MORE: ORTHO EVRA LETHAL]
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| Ortho Evra In the News |
MAY-08-08: Public Citizen’s Health Research Group is urging the FDA to pull Ortho Evra from shelves as studies have linked the birth control patch to an increased risk of life threatening blood clots. [ MSNBC: ORTHO EVRA]
JAN-18-08: The FDA has approved additional changes to the Ortho Evra Contraceptive Transdermal Patch label to include warnings that patch users are at higher risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), than women using birth control pills. VTE can lead to pulmonary embolism. [ FDA NEWS: ORTHO EVRA]
SEP-19-07: The number of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, are on the rise while sales are down. It was reported that as of last month, over 2400 lawsuits are pending. [ STAR LEDGER: ORTHO EVRA]
MAY-15-07: At least one ob-gyn group has decided to stop prescribing Ortho Evra because of the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Other doctors will still prescribe it, but will recommend other options because of the health risks. [ VOLUNTEER TV: ORTHO EVRA]
MAY-03-07: Melisa Arbino suffered blood clots on her brain after using the Ortho Evra birth control patch. She must now have an MRI every three months to make sure no more clots develop. [ ENQUIRER: ORTHO EVRA]
APR-30-07: An Ohio woman who suffered from life-threatening blood clots after using Ortho Evra wants the Supreme Court of Ohio to discard caps on pain and suffering awards because they violate her right to a trial by jury. [ WTOL: ORTHO EVRA]
APR-17-07: Women who use the Ortho Evra birth-control patch have twice the risk of blood clots than women on the pill do. Blood clots can dislodge and travel to the lungs where they can cause a pulmonary embolism. [ DAILY RECORD: ORTHO EVRA]
APR-04-07: Johnson & Johnson buy negative domain names in an effort to stem disparaging information about Ortho Evra. [ NJ: ORTHO EVRA]
FEB-26-07: Last year's study has shown that Ortho Evra contraceptive does increase risk of blood clots more than birth-control pills. [ CONSUMER REPORTS: ORTHO EVRA RISKS]
FEB-09-07: Lawsuit names 46 plaintiffs, most of them young women in their teens and 20s, who suffered blood clots, stroke and death after using the Ortho Evra patch. [ BUSINESS JOURNAL: ORTHO EVRA DEATH]
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Ortho Evra Patch Legal Help
If you have or a loved on has suffered from blood clots, heart attack or stroke, while using Ortho Evra, you may qualify for damages or remedies that may be awarded in an Ortho Evra class action or lawsuit. Please click the link below to submit your complaint to an Ortho Evra lawyer for a free case evaluation.
Posted on Oct-22-04
Updated on May-9-08
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