Ortho Evra
April 29, 2008Officials in Taiwan call for ban on Ortho Evra
Government officials in Taiwan have called for a ban on the Ortho Evra patch after the island nation suffered what may be its first victim. Authorities say that a woman, who was identified by the surname Li, was hospitalized in January after suffering a stroke from which she has not yet regained consciousness.In a press conference held this week, a city official from Taipei said that Taiwan should issue an Ortho Evra recall because it has been linked to cases of blood clots, stroke and other side effects in the U.S. and Canada. The head of the Food and Drug division of Taipei’s health department said that it would recommend an investigation into the legality of the patch due to the potential risk of Ortho Evra side effects.
Studies have shown that the Ortho Evra patch releases 60 percent more estrogen into the blood stream than traditional birth control pills. Because estrogen increases the likelihood of blood clots, this could place women who use it at an increased risk of serious birth control patch side effects.
Dozens of women in the U.S. and Canada have died after using the Ortho Evra patch. Many of their families or other women who suffered injuries have filed Ortho Evra lawsuits against the manufacturers of the patch, claiming that they were not properly warned about the dangers they faced by using it.