Punt The Patch

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is being asked to pull the
birth-control patch off the market.
The Public Citizen consumer advocacy group says the Ortho-Evra
patch is much riskier than the pill.
A 2005 investigation by The Associated Press found patch users
suffer higher rates of life-threatening blood clots than women who
take birth-control pills.
Nearly 10 million prescriptions were filled in 2004. That number
plunged to 2.7 million last year.
The manufacturer insists the patch is safe and effective when
used as directed.
Public Citizen is petitioning the Food and Drug Administration
to phase out patch sales over six months. Existing users could only
get refills, allowing them time to switch to another contraceptive.
The FDA says it has yet to review the petition.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)