In case you didn’t know: today is World Contraception Day! In case you missed it, and it wouldn’t have been that hard to, there was a recall of several birth control pills recently. Every woman I shared this with was not just shocked they didn’t know – but panicked that their pill was included. The small, remaining stigm
a around birth control and the pill are still there.
Those of us who take a pill form of birth control know just how finicky it can be. You have to take it at the same time of day; everything has to be in the package just so. If one thing is slightly off the quality drops, and your chance of pregnancy goes up. This is why I’ve often advocated to friends to use two forms of birth control.
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, a Huntsville, Alabama company, voluntarily recalled several lots of birth control due to a packing error. The company stated there was no immediate health risk, but were worried about unintended pregnancy while taking those packs of pills. The issue: ”select blisters (found inside the pill box) were rotated 180 degrees within the card, reversing the weekly tablet orientation” , per the company. There is no news on how this affects women taking the pills for the hormones.
Recalled pills include:
• Cyclafem 7/7/7
• Cyclafem 1/35
• Emoquette
• Gildess FE 1.5/30
• Gildess FE 1/20
• Orsythia
• Previfem
• Tri-Previfem
Pharmacists were to call any patients who had received a recalled pack. More information including specific lot numbers and packs can be found here.
I found out about this late last week. However, it appears the issue first came to light over a week ago. I wondered why this is still slowly getting out, but when any other drug is recalled it seems to take over the media. Is this just another example of how little we concern ourselves with women’s health issues? Or is it because enough people don’t look at the birth control as a health care issue? Must we remind the country of the ground breaking even that happened in the not too distant past? In July Health and Human Services classified birth control as preventative within the Accountable Care Act (ACA), which means it will be available at no cost once the legislation is fully implemented.
Were you affected by the recall? How did you learn of it? Let us know! In honor of it being World Contraception Day, do your research and learn about the options – and if your prescription was part of the recall!
*Photo credit: By Flickr User forwardstl
