J&J settles lawsuits with Canadian women harmed by birth control patch
March 3rd, 2009 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
Johnson & Johnson, the makers of the Ortho Evra contraceptive patch for women, has agreed to settle lawsuits filed by Canadian women who suffered from blood clots, heart attacks or strokes after using the patch. The drug maker avoided trial by spending more than $68 million to settle similar claims by women in the United States, according to Bloomberg.
The Ortho Evra patch was originally marketing to young women who were turned off by the notion of taking a once-daily pill for contraception. The patch is replaced after a week. However, the patch was found in some cases to seep too much estrogen into the bloodstream, which can cause serious health problems.
As an emerging pattern of young women suffering from pulmonary embolisms and strokes emerged, health experts began to point fingers at Johnson & Johnson. Despite the settlements in both the U.S. and Canada, the patch is still on the market and doctors are still prescribing it.
Ortho Evra was first approved for marketing and sale in Canada in 2002. Since then, at least 16 cases of blood clots and one heart attack among women who were using the patch have been reported. Two patients died, including a 16-year-old girl, according to Health Canada.
The Canadian lawsuits involve 22 women from Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec; however, anyone else with a valid claim can still come forward and be included in the settlement. The Canadian plaintiffs sought C$400,00 each in compensation and C$20 million in punitive damages.
The lawsuit claims that Johnson & Johnson failed to properly warn patients and doctors that its Ortho Evra contraceptive patch has a higher risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks compared to the birth control pill.
An Ontario judge will be asked to end the suit at a hearing March 23.