NEW YORK — Ortho Evra manufacturer, Ortho McNeil, is facing a lawsuit filed by 10 women Monday for damages related to use of its abortifacient, the so-called birth-control patch. The women, who all suffered from strokes or serious blood clots, described the drug as “unreasonably dangerous” and “defectively designed,” according to a CNN report.
The women, ranging in age from 18 to 47, are from across the US and all suffer from long-term debilitating effects from the patch. Nineteen-year-old Amanda Bianchi of Colorado Springs, CO, described suffering two strokes and recurring migraines after developing a 10-inch blood clot in her brain after use of the patch in 2004. “It's not fun to have to get up and not be able to go to school and live the life that you were living, you know?” she said.
“When used as labeled, Ortho Evra is a safe and effective birth control choice for many women,” a company statement claimed. Last week, LifeSiteNews.com reported that the risk of developing a fatal or non-fatal blood clot while on the patch is three times greater than with use of the abortifacient birth-control pill. An AP report also noted that 23 deaths were attributed to use of the patch since its approval by the FDA in 2001. An FDA spokesman assured women that “evidence indicates the product is safe and effective,” according to a statement sent to CNN.
See also:
Birth Control Patch Claims 23 Lives and Counting
(This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
