Packaging Error Prompts Recall of Birth Control Pills
February 1, 2012 — Pfizer on Tuesday announced it is recalling about one million packets of birth control pills because of a packaging error that could leave women at risk of unintended pregnancies, the AP/Minnesota Public Radio reports. The company found that some packets of the pills had too many tablets with active ingredients, while other packets had too few active pills (AP/Minnesota Public Radio, 2/1).
The recall involves 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets, all of which are manufactured by Pfizer and marketed by Akrimax Pharmaceuticals. The pills were shipped to clinics, warehouses and pharmacies across the country.
Although using the pills is not dangerous, Pfizer recommended that women affected by the recall "begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately" (Kelleher, Reuters, 1/31).
A Pfizer spokesperson said failures in mechanical and visual inspections caused the problem and that it has been corrected. Women who have the affected pills should return them to the pharmacy (AP/Minnesota Public Radio, 2/1).
The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Search the Archives
Subscribe
The Editors
Debra Ness, publisher & president, National Partnership
Andrea Friedman, associate editor & director of reproductive health programs, National Partnership
Marya Torrez, associate editor & senior reproductive health policy counsel, National Partnership
Melissa Safford, associate editor & policy advocate for reproductive health, National Partnership
Perry Sacks, assistant editor & health program associate, National Partnership
Cindy Romero, assistant editor & communications assistant, National Partnership
Justyn Ware, editor
Amanda Wolfe, editor-in-chief
Heather Drost, Hanna Jaquith, Marcelle Maginnis, Ashley Marchand and Michelle Stuckey, staff writers
Tucker Ball, director of new media, National Partnership
