Pfizer Recalls Birth Control Pills

Some may not contain enough contraceptive to be effective
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 1, 2012 6:15 AM CST
Updated Feb 1, 2012 6:46 AM CST
Pfizer Recalls Birth Control Pills
Pfizer is recalling some of its oral contraceptive pills over concern that they may not contain enough contraceptive to be effective.   (Shutterstock)

Pfizer is yanking about a million packs of birth control pills off of shelves nationwide over concerns that they don't contain enough contraceptive to be effective, reports Reuters. The recall, announced yesterday, affects lots of Lo/Ovral-28, Norgestrel, and Ethinyl Estradiol; due a packaging error, some packets contain too many active pills, while others contain too few.

Women using the affected drugs should "begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately," the pharma giant said in a statement, but it added that there are no health risks. Affected packets have expiration dates ranging between July 31, 2013, and March 31, 2014, notes the AP. (More birth control stories.)

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