kong
02-02-2012, 06:40 PM
One million birth control packets recalled
Drug maker says pills may not be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies
The world's biggest drug maker, Pfizer Inc. has recalled one million birth-control packs after it was discovered that the pills were mixed up inside the packages.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Pfizer recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of a generic version of the medicine. About one million packs of 28 tablets were withdrawn, Grace Ann Arnold, a Pfizer spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail.
Manufactured and packaged by Pfizer, the pills were marketed by Akrimax Rx Products of Cranford, New Jersey under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand. The company hasn't received any reports of adverse health consequences thus far.
Each pack contains 21 white tablets that contain the synthetic hormones norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol which are taken for 21 consecutive days. The remaining seven tablets are inactive pink pills taken for a week.
"An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient- tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence," the company said. This situation would lead women to take an incorrect daily dosage and increase the risk of an accidental pregnancy.
"As a result of this packaging error, the daily regimen for these oral contraceptives may be incorrect and could leave women without adequate contraception, and at risk for unintended pregnancy," a Pfizer statement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site read.
The error was "identified and corrected immediately," and doesn't pose immediate health risks, Pfizer said. "However, consumers exposed to effect packaging should begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately."
The drug maker said the issue involved 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.
A company spokeswoman said the problem was caused by both mechanical and visual inspection failures on the packaging line.
According to the Company the problem has since been corrected.
Drug maker says pills may not be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies
The world's biggest drug maker, Pfizer Inc. has recalled one million birth-control packs after it was discovered that the pills were mixed up inside the packages.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Pfizer recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of a generic version of the medicine. About one million packs of 28 tablets were withdrawn, Grace Ann Arnold, a Pfizer spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail.
Manufactured and packaged by Pfizer, the pills were marketed by Akrimax Rx Products of Cranford, New Jersey under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand. The company hasn't received any reports of adverse health consequences thus far.
Each pack contains 21 white tablets that contain the synthetic hormones norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol which are taken for 21 consecutive days. The remaining seven tablets are inactive pink pills taken for a week.
"An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient- tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence," the company said. This situation would lead women to take an incorrect daily dosage and increase the risk of an accidental pregnancy.
"As a result of this packaging error, the daily regimen for these oral contraceptives may be incorrect and could leave women without adequate contraception, and at risk for unintended pregnancy," a Pfizer statement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site read.
The error was "identified and corrected immediately," and doesn't pose immediate health risks, Pfizer said. "However, consumers exposed to effect packaging should begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately."
The drug maker said the issue involved 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.
A company spokeswoman said the problem was caused by both mechanical and visual inspection failures on the packaging line.
According to the Company the problem has since been corrected.