Another Birth Control Pill Recall

A large number of birth control pills produced in India to be distributed in the Atlanta and other parts of the US have been recalled because of a packaging mistake that could render the pills useless. Health authorities in the US said Monday that Glenmark Generics, Inc. USA recalled seven lots of generic norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets. The pills were sent to wholesale and retail pharmacies across the US between September of 2011 and December of 2011.

This packaging error has disrupted the daily regimen required for the oral contraceptive to work. It’s not known how many packets are affected by the mistake. Some of the pills were as much as 180 degrees out of their usual place thus causing the lot number and expiration date to be seen only on the outer pouch. The pills need to remain in sequential order to maintain the daily regimen.

Doctors are advising women who take these pills to immediately start using a non-hormonal form of birth control. Woman are also advised to inform their healthcare provider immediately and take a pregnancy test if the experience any pregnancy symptoms.

This is the third recall in the US concerning a birth control product in the last six months. In February, Pfizer had to recall one million packages of birth control pills because of a similar packaging error. And in September of 2011, Qualitest in Alabama recalled 1.4 million packets of their birth control pills.