On Feb. 1, 2012, Pfizer, Inc., the nation’s largest drug manufacturer issued a recall of one million packets of birth control pills. Due to a manufacturing mix-up, some of the 21 “active” birth control pills might have been accidentally replaced with the seven “inactive” pills, raising a woman’s chance for an unplanned pregnancy.
A woman could have inadvertently skipped doses of the pill without knowing it and if she has sexual intercourse while she is ovulating, she has a good chance of getting pregnant.
Pfizer believes only about 30 packets of birth control pills were affected by this mistake, but they are recalling 1 million packets to be sure. Normally the pills are color-coded so a woman can automatically tell the difference between the placebo and the active pills.
The recalled packets were of Lo/Ovral 28 and its generic equivalent and were made and shipped in 2011. Lo/Ovral 28 is not one of the more common forms of birth control prescribed today. In fact, it is ranked 64 on the list of U.S. birth control sales last year. Doctors and pharmacists say this is an older version of the pill and is not widely used.
The affected packets are manufactured by Pfizer but sold in the U.S. by Akrimax Rx Products. They are pink and bear the name of the drug or the generic name, along with Akrimax. They have expiration dates ranging from July 31, 2013, to March 31, 2014.
The company learned about the problem when a customer called them in December 2011 to report that there was a pink placebo pill in the middle of the white active pills.
Pfizer then found the manufacturing problem, fixed it, and issued a nationwide recall asking pharmacies to pull the affected lots from their shelves.
The recall was only announced to the media and the public after a request from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Normally close to 100 percent effective when taken according to directions, birth control pills are the most widely used form of birth control in the country. According to WebMD, an estimated 12 million women in the United States take one form of the birth control pill or another, and worldwide that number jumps to 100 million.
The pill was first introduced in 1960, starting a revolution in women’s sexual health and ability to take control of her body and family planning.
Anyone who believes they have any of the defective packets should call their doctor immediately and use a back-up method of birth control for at least the next three weeks.
For women who have been on this specific pill and have had unprotected sex in the last five days, they may want to consider emergency contraception.
More detailed information is also available from the FDA/
Sources:
Washington Post. Web. Published 1 February, 2012. "Pfizer recalls birth control pills due to error that could cause unintended pregnancy." http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/pfizer-recalls-birth-control-pills-due-to-error-that-could-cause-unintended-pregnancy/2012/01/31/gIQAiyKzfQ_story.html?tid=pm_pop
WebMD.com. Web. 1 February 2012. "Comparing birth control pill types: Combination, minipills, and more". http://women.webmd.com/features/comparing-birth-control-pill-types-combination-minipills-more
Reviewed February 2, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jessica Obert