Published in The Voice.
Error prompts nationwide recall of Pfizer birth control pill
By Sharon Weltz
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer ordered a nationwide recall on January 31 of twenty-eight lots, about one million packets, of its oral contractive pills sold under the name Akrimax. This oral contraceptive product is distributed to clinics and retail pharmacies nationwide.
Pfizer's logo does not appear on the recalled birth control pill packets. Pfizer said the packets are pink with the drug's name and labeled with the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand name.
In a statement, Pfizer said the recall affected 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. Lot numbers are available at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289770.htm
Women are urged to check the published lot numbers against the labels on their birth control pill packets. Women who discover they have been using packets from the recalled lots should immediately notify their doctor, stop taking the pills and begin using an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms, and return the remaining pills in its packet to their pharmacy or clinic.
The 21 days of medicine and the seven days of placebo may be out of order because of a packaging error. The error poses no health risks, but could leave the consumer at risk for pregnancy. In a statement released on Feb.1, Pfizer Pfizer Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall said, “We understand that this news can be very concerning and confusing for any woman who takes birth control pills to protect against unintended pregnancies.”
Spokeswoman Kristen Neese said Pfizer learned about the problem when a customer called late last year to report finding a pink placebo tablet in the middle of her white birth control pills. The company found a manufacturing problem and fixed it immediately.
To download video recorded statements or to read full transcripts of statements regarding this recall, go to www. Pfizer.com
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer ordered a nationwide recall on January 31 of twenty-eight lots, about one million packets, of its oral contractive pills sold under the name Akrimax. This oral contraceptive product is distributed to clinics and retail pharmacies nationwide.
Pfizer's logo does not appear on the recalled birth control pill packets. Pfizer said the packets are pink with the drug's name and labeled with the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand name.
In a statement, Pfizer said the recall affected 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. Lot numbers are available at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289770.htm
Women are urged to check the published lot numbers against the labels on their birth control pill packets. Women who discover they have been using packets from the recalled lots should immediately notify their doctor, stop taking the pills and begin using an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms, and return the remaining pills in its packet to their pharmacy or clinic.
The 21 days of medicine and the seven days of placebo may be out of order because of a packaging error. The error poses no health risks, but could leave the consumer at risk for pregnancy. In a statement released on Feb.1, Pfizer Pfizer Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall said, “We understand that this news can be very concerning and confusing for any woman who takes birth control pills to protect against unintended pregnancies.”
Spokeswoman Kristen Neese said Pfizer learned about the problem when a customer called late last year to report finding a pink placebo tablet in the middle of her white birth control pills. The company found a manufacturing problem and fixed it immediately.
To download video recorded statements or to read full transcripts of statements regarding this recall, go to www. Pfizer.com