The birth control patch: Convenient, yes, but it's risky

Kurt Roinestad

Date published: 11/30/2005

As a scientist, I agree with Dr. Arlene Lewis that the facts about the birth control patch are not all in ["Despite warning label, patch can be safe for women," Nov. 20]. As a pharmaceutical scientist, I am ecstatic that a new technology (the transdermal patch) is being used to make birth control easier and more compliant.

But as a husband who had to watch his wife linger on the brink of death for several days with a double pulmonary embolism after using the Ortho Evra patch, I am horrified at Dr. Lewis' off-the-cuff remarks.

Contrary to Dr. Lewis' statement, I can assure you that estrogen is a coagulator and by definition is a risk factor in deep vein thromboses and pulmonary emboli.

My wife did not smoke, did not drink, was 35 when she was prescribed the patch, and had no family or personal history of clotting.

Let's be quite frank. The patch releases 60 percent more estrogen than the manufacturer intended. It is therefore defective. Plain and simple.

The true tragedy here is that if the manufacturer had taken the time to optimize release rates of estrogen in the patch instead of bowing out to its marketing department to quickly release a less-than-safe product, then my soul mate, love of my life, and best friend would be still be by my side.

She's alive, but she's bedridden, broken, and barely breathing. And we consider ourselves lucky.

New Haven, Conn.

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Date published: 11/30/2005