WASHINGTON -- Pfizer, Inc. is recalling 28 lots of birth control pills after uncovering a packaging error that could leave women with an inadequate dose of the hormone-based drugs and raise the risk that they will get pregnant accidentally.
The recall involves about a million packets of pills.
The drugs are marketed by Akrimax Products under the brand Lo/Ovral-28 and generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.
Pfizer found that some packets of the drugs had too many active tablets, while others had too few. Oral birth control products use a series of 21 drug tablets and seven inactive sugar tablets to regulate the menstrual period while providing contraception.
The company says the problem is not related to safety; it just raises the risk of unintended pregnancy.
A company spokeswoman said the problem was caused by both mechanical and visual inspection failures on the packaging line. She said the problem has been corrected.
The pills were shipped to warehouses, clinics and retail pharmacies nationwide.
(Associated Press)