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Johnson & Johnson has paid at least $68.7 million to settle hundreds of lawsuits related to its Ortho Evra birth-control patch, which has been linked to harmful blood clots. The patch exposes women to higher doses of estrogen than ordinary contraceptive pills. Some studies have suggested that increased exposure raises the risk of blood clots, which can lead to strokes or heart attacks. J&J says the patch is safe if used according to its Food and Drug Administration-approved label. According to the wire service: Of 562 complaints reviewed by Bloomberg News, the vast majority of users alleged the patch caused...

Reuters A U.S. advocacy group is urging the Food and Drug Administration to pull Johnson & Johnson's birth control patch from the market after studies found an increased risk of dangerous blood clots. In a petition filed with the FDA on Thursday, Public Citizen's Health Research Group said the amount of estrogen released from the Ortho-Evra patch varies widely among individual women, and those who absorb too much were at greater risk for blood clots and other painful side effects. "The considerable safety concern of high-dose, variable estrogen exposure tips the balance of risks and benefits against the availability of...

Associated Press WASHINGTON — Women were warned today that their risk of blood clots in the legs and lungs may be higher if they use the birth-control patch instead of the pill. The Food and Drug Administration said it updated the label on the Ortho Evra birth-control patch to reflect the results of one study that found women using the patch faced twice the risk of clots than did women on the pill. However, a second study found no difference in risk between the two forms of birth control. "Even though the results of the two studies are conflicting, the...

AP SCIENCE WRITER WASHINGTON -- Risks of blood clots in legs and lungs are twice as high for women using the birth-control patch instead of the pill, says a study reported by the drug maker and the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Daniel Shames of the FDA said Friday the new findings don't require immediate action by the government, but he urged concerned women to discuss the risk with their physicians. One new study found users of the Ortho Evra patch had twice the risk of clots compared with women taking birth-control pills, although a second analysis found no difference...