Saturday, September 25, 2010

Birth Control Patch Hidden Risks

According to NBC, 24 deaths have been attributed to blood clots induced by the patch, and more than 2,400 women currently have personal injury lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson.

-- From "Johnson & Johnson Bury Data on Ortho-Evra's Health Risks?" by Meredith Melnick, Time Magazine 9/24/10

Since it's introduction in 2002, the patch has been prescribed 40 million times.

. . . But the patch is associated with higher risks of pulmonary embolism — a type of blood clot — as well as stroke and heart attack. These are all rare side effects of any birth control medication that contains synthetic forms of estrogen. The problem is, the patch pumps 60% more estrogen into your bloodstream than the Pill does. While the oral Pill is quickly digested and broken down in the body, the patch provides a constant stream of estrogen for three weeks of each month.

An NBC report, broadcast during Thursday's broadcast of the Today show, said that according to leaked patient reports from J&J, the company knew that users of the patch were 12 times more likely to suffer stroke and 18 times more likely to have blood clots than Pill takers.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.