Oklahoma City Drug Liability Attorney

At Nix and McIntyre Law Office, LLP, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, personal injury victims who have suffered harm from the use of the once-a-week birth control patch, Ortho Evra, should know that our Oklahoma pharmaceutical litigation lawyers do all we can to provide for the needs of our injured clients, whether it means settling or going to trial for their contraceptive patch lawsuit. We have successfully handled a wide variety of personal injury matters, including handling unsafe drug matters involving Ortho Evra and Paxil.

Dangerous drugs can cause blood clots, strokes, and other serious health problems. If you have suffered injury as a result of their use, seek experienced, skilled legal assistance to empower you to make sound decisions about your case. Our Oklahoma drug liability attorneys serve clients throughout the state of Oklahoma including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Enid, Edmond, Norman, Ada, Weatherford, Ardmore, Yukon, Stillwater, Midwest City, Moore, and Shawnee, in counties including Cleveland County, McCurtain County, Oklahoma County, and Washita County. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your potential personal injury claim.

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Ortho Evra - An Overview

Ortho Evra Users at Greater Risk for Blood Clots, Heart Attack, and Death

In July of 2005, the Associated Press revealed that the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the Ortho Evra birth control patch was three times higher than when using birth control pills. The Ortho Evra birth control patch deposits estrogen directly into the bloodstream. Since the method of administration is not in the same manner as birth control pills, the amount of estrogen deposited in significantly higher. There is a well-established connection between estrogen and side effects like blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. Increased estrogen exposure may increase the risk of these birth control patch side effects. Until recently, however, users of Ortho Evra were not warned that they could be at higher risk for these serious side effects or death.

At least a dozen deaths were associated with the use of the birth control patch in 2004 alone. Families who have lost a loved-one should contact an experienced attorney to file a complaint against the manufacturer of this harmful product. Women who are currently using the Ortho Evra birth control patch and who may be at risk should first seek medical advice and then contact an attorney for advice.

Ortho Evra Promoted as Safe

When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Ortho Evra in November of 2001, it was promoted as a more convenient way to administer the birth control benefits of a hormone pill. The patch was said to be as safe and effective as the pill. It was also reported that the Ortho Evra birth control patch posed only the same risks as the pill. As the Associated Press later revealed, however, the risks of using the Ortho Evra patch were not the same as the pill. Birth control patch users are exposed to about 60% more estrogen - a drug associated with serious, and sometimes life-threatening, risks.

Evidence Suggests Ortho McNeil Knew of the Risk

There is some evidence that Ortho McNeil, the makers of Ortho Evra, and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, knew the dangers of the Ortho Evra patch but did not warn patch users or the doctors prescribing them. Several Ortho Evra lawsuits have been filed following the deaths of women using the patch. As part of these suits, Ortho McNeil has shared documents tending to show that they were aware of the increased risks associated with the patch. There is evidence that Ortho McNeil was monitoring death and injury reports of the Ortho Evra patch compared to the pill, and charting the differences. Documents revealed during the lawsuits showed that Ortho McNeil chose not to fund a study comparing their birth control patch to the pill because it may not produce a positive result for Evra.

FDA Takes Action

In November of 2005, the FDA announced that Ortho McNeil was required to put a new, bold type warning on its product indicating that Ortho Evra exposes women to about 60% more estrogen than a typical birth control pill. The FDA said it would continue to monitor safety reports for the Ortho Evra patch and that Ortho McNeil would conduct additional studies to compare the risk of developing serious blood clots in women using Ortho Evra to the risk of women using typical birth control pills.

Other Recent Developments include the following:

September 20, 2006: FDA Announced Update to Ortho Evra Label

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an update to the Ortho Evra label, after the results of a recent study supported FDA's concerns regarding the potential for Ortho Evra use to increase the risk of blood clots in some women. The label recommended (and continues to recommend) that women with concerns or risk factors for thromboembolic disease talk with their healthcare provider about using Ortho Evra versus other contraceptive options.

March 10, 2006: Wrongful Death Suit Filed Over Ortho Evra Patch

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 20-year-old Indiana woman who suffered a fatal pulmonary blood clot after using the Ortho Evra birth control patch for 10 months. The suit, filed against Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals (manufacturer of the Ortho Evra patch) alleges that Ortho-McNeil was aware of the increased risk of blood clots and related health problems in users of the patch, but failed to properly warn of those risks.

March 1, 2006: Ortho Evra Lawsuits Assigned to Federal Judge

Almost 70 federal product liability lawsuits challenging the safety of the Ortho Evra birth control patch were assigned to a U.S. District Court judge in the Northern District of Ohio. Each of the suits alleged that the Ortho Evra patch was defectively designed, and that the manufacturer of the patch (Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals) failed to adequately warn users of the risks associated with use of the patch.

Women Using the Ortho Evra Patch Should Seek Medical Advice

Ortho Evra users should seek medical advice to determine if they should discontinue use of the birth control patch. Ortho Evra users may be unnecessarily putting themselves at risk for heart attack, stroke, and death. Consumer watchdog, Public Citizen, has warned women not to use the Ortho Evra birth control patch. Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director of the Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said that "[t]here is no medical reason for women to use the more dangerous Ortho Evra rather than the older, better understood and equally effective oral contraceptives."

After obtaining necessary medial attention, women harmed by Ortho Evra should seek legal advice. If you have experienced blood clot, stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or other side effects from using the patch you may be entitled to compensation for your injury. Contact an experienced attorney to discuss your situation and to take action against the manufacturer of this harmful product.

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