2-Fold Increased Risk of VTE in Patch vs Pill Users

Women who use the Ortho Evra (Ortho-McNeil) birth control patch have twice the risk of developing blood clots as women who take the pill, according to clinical trial data. One study found no increased risk of serous side effects (eg, venous thromboembolic event [VTE], stroke, heart attack). But a second study showed an approximate 2-fold higher risk of VTE in users of Ortho Evra compared with users of a norgestimate-containing oral contraceptive with 35 ?g of estrogen. There did not appear to be any increase in the combined risk of heart attack or stroke with the patch. Other analyses, including evaluation of potential ?differences in risk factors between the 2 groups, are ongoing, and the FDA is continuing their investigation. (For more information visit www.orthoevra.com.)