Ortho Evra Settlement

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April 28th, 2006

"Ortho Evra Maker Settles Lawsuits"

Makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch have reportedly settled about a dozen lawsuits for millions of dollars in the last several months and more than 100 other claims are currently pending.

One attorney said that Ortho-McNeil has been “approaching everyone” representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and lawyers are beginning to negotiate settlement amounts.

Thousands of claims have been filed against Ortho-McNeil in the last year after a study revealed that the transdermal birth control patch exposed users to 60 percent more estrogen than the contraceptive pill, more than doubling the risk of blood clots and stroke.

The lawsuits allege that Ortho-McNeil failed to adequately warn consumers of the known risks of the patch.

The first signs of danger of Ortho Evra came in April 2004 when 18-year-old Zakiya Kennedy collapsed on a subway platform after suffering from a blood clot. Her death was linked to the birth control patch. Since then, dozens more women have reportedly suffered blood clots and heart complications associated with the use of Ortho Evra.

It has been reported that Philomena Ugochukwa, a 37-year-old women who suffered a blood clot, stroke, and brain damage from Ortho Evra has received a cash settlement of more than $10 million, sources estimate.

About a dozen other plaintiffs in the Ortho Evra lawsuits have also settled out of court.

Ortho Evra, the first and only once-a-week birth control patch, was approved by the FDA in November 2001. Almost 5 million women have used the patch since its release. Ortho Evra is still on the market today, but carries an FDA required “black box” label alerting consumers of the fatal risks of the drug.