Women sue over pill (BBC)

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1. Data: 2001-10-04 13:45:35

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_15740
00/1574017.stm

The families of more than 100 women are set to sue the makers of the third
generation contraceptive pill.
They say they were not warned of the potential side effects.

Lawyers representing the families of 122 women announced on Monday that they
were taking three pharmaceutical companies to the High Court in London.

They claim the third generation pill caused these women to develop blood
clots which led to long-term damage to their health, and in around 10% of
cases proved fatal.

However, the pharmaceutical companies have rejected suggestions that the
third generation pill is slightly riskier than its predecessors.

Compensation
The case is the first of its type. If successful, it could lead to massive
compensation payouts.

The three companies would be sued under the Consumer Protection Act based on
the claim that the product is defective.

A statement issued by Hereford-based Houghton and Co solicitors,
representing the women, said: "It is the claimants' case and has always been
that third generation pills have an increased risk for pulmonary embolism,
deep vein thrombosis and paradoxical embolism [different types of blood
clot].

"Some other conditions and injuries that have been suffered have included
death, paralysis and life long disabilities due to clots in the deep veins.

"The oral contraceptive group litigation will go on trial in January 2002
and we are confident that all the evidence is now in place to establish that
the
risks associated with third generation oral contraceptive pills are greater
than those of their predecessor pills and that the manufacturers should have
carried
out research into this and taken steps to protect the public."

Increased risk
The announcement comes after the European Agency for the Evaluation of
Medicinal Products (EMEA) said that the third generation pill was slightly
more likely to cause blood clots than the second generation.

However, the EMEA's Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) said
the risk was small compared to the overall benefits, and that it was less
than the risk of developing the same problem during pregnancy.

The Department of Health said there is no reason for women to stop taking
the pill.

The companies are Schering Healthcare, Organon Laboratories and Wyeth, all
of which said they would vigorously defend the claims.

A spokesman for Organon Laboratories said its disagreed with the CPMP
findings that there was a slightly increased risk of taking the third
generation pill compared to its predecessors.

Other evidence showed there was no difference between the second and third
generation pills, he said.
A spokeswoman for Wyeth said: "The legislation has been going on for a long
time. The announcement by the CPMP will not change the litigation.

"We will be defending the action."

A spokeswoman for Schering said she was unable to comment at this time.