Birth Control Pill Recall Issued By Qualitest

A packaging error that could resulted in unwanted pregnancies has led to a birth control pill recall by Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, impacting Cyclafem, Emoquette, Gildess, Orsythia, Previfem and Tri-Previfem. 

The birth control recall was announced by Qualitest, a division of Endo Pharmaceuticals, on September 15. The company reports that some of the pill-containing blister packages were rotated 180 degrees during packaging, reversing the weekly tablet orientation, which could lead women to take the pills in the wrong order.

If women follow the order of the birth control pills on the defective blisters, they may unknowingly be without contraceptive protection and could be at risk for unintended pregnancy. In addition, the defective blisters do not show the expiration date or the lot number. However, there are no other health risks associated with the recalled birth control pills.

Qualitest recommends that any woman who took pills with the defective packaging immediately begin using non-hormonal forms of birth control and consult their health care provider.

The recall affects more than 70 lots of various Qualitest birth control pills, including Cyclafem 7/7/7, Cyclafem 1/35, Emoquette, Gildess FE 1.5/30, Gildess FE 1/20, Orsythia, Previfem and Tri-Previfem. A full list of lot numbers affected by the recall is available here (pdf).

This is the second packaging recall Qualitest has had to conduct this summer and the third packaging mistake recall for the company this year. In June, a manufacturing problem led to labels being swapped between bottles of generic Vicodin and Fioricet. On February 5, 2011, three lots of generic Vicodin and Phenobarbital were recalled after a bottle of Vicodin was found with a Phenobarbital label.

Pharmacies have been instructed to alert women who were given the pills about the recall. Consumers, pharmacists or physicians with questions or who have a product to return can call Qualitest at 1-877-300-6153.