Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch

Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch Overview

Also known simply as "The Patch", the Ortho Evra® birth control patch is the first and only birth control medication delivered by a patch sold in the United States. The Ortho Evra birth control patch is designed to be worn continuously for one week, delivering a steady stream of estrogen and progestin into a woman’s blood stream through the skin. It was approved by the FDA in November 2001 and brought to market in 2002. As the only contraception in the form of an adhesive skin patch, it is often referred to simply as "the Patch."

The Ortho Evra® patch has been used by over 5 million women. In 2004, over 10 million prescriptions were dispensed, generating sales of over $400 million. The Patch was marketed aggressively to both physicians and consumers, and it became the most popular birth control option in the United States.

The Ortho Evra® patch has been a popular birth control option because it is small, inconspicuous, waterproof, and in contrast to birth control pills, it needs only to be changed once a week. Because of this simplicity, the Ortho Evra® birth control patch has been especially popular with young women. It is manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, headquartered in New Jersey.

Casey Gerry’s drug litigation specialists have learned that even before the FDA approved it, Ortho-McNeill Pharmaceutical had evidence of dangerous side effects: that Ortho Evra® increased a woman’s risk of nonfatal blood clots by three times that of the pill.

To learn more about the health problems associated with the Ortho Evra contraceptive patch, and how you can protect yourself, see the section on Frequently Asked Questions