Ortho Evra Side Effects

Since the Ortho Evra patch was approved in 2001, there has been some concern over serious Ortho Evra side effects. The Ortho Evra birth control patch was prescribed to over two million women in 2004 alone, according to its manufacturer Ortho-McNeil. The most serious Ortho Evra side effects to raise concern in medical communities across the nation is news that the patch increases a woman''s risk of developing a blood clot.

In 2005, a media source publicized the conclusions from an Ortho Evra side effects study they conducted independent of medical experts. This news group analyzed FDA data about Ortho Evra side effects reports to conclude that the birth control patch triples a woman''s risk of developing a fatal blood clot. This group calculated that the risk of death from a birth control patch side effect blood clot was three per 200,000 women. The risk of fatal blood clot from the oral birth control pill comparatively is one death in 200,000 women.

Concern about this potentially deadly Ortho Evra side effects continues to be fueled by recent reports of deaths linked to use of this medication. The birth control patch has been blamed for the deaths of 23 women, including 17 women who died as result of blood clot complications. Many of these alleged victims of fatal Ortho Evra side effects complications were young and healthy women with no history of blood clots or other cardiovascular conditions.

In these young healthy women who died as a result of Ortho Evra side effects, many developed a rapid onset of symptoms before falling deathly ill. These Ortho Evra side effects symptoms included:

* severe headache
* vision problems
* vomiting
* and nausea.

The patient package insert from Ortho-McNeil states that a number of birth control patch side effects can occur with use of this medication. Many of these potential side effects are shared by all hormonal birth control methods. The possible Ortho Evra side effects risks include: breast changes, headaches, nausea, menstrual changes, vaginal discharge, and abdominal cramps and bloating.

Ortho-McNeil and other medical experts have claimed that the Ortho Evra side effects study distorts the facts and misleads the public into believing unproven statements. Of the 13,000 clinical trial participants in 103 studies, not a single woman has suffered a birth control patch side effect that resulted in blood clot or fatality. These pundits refute the argument that Ortho Evra side effects risks can lead to life-threatening blood clots and other cardiovascular injury.