Ortho-Cept birth control being recalled due to potential low potency

VANCOUVER – Health Canada has issued a notice saying Janssen Inc. is recalling one lot of Ortho-Cept tablets (28 day), an oral contraceptive, due to the potential low potency of the two active ingredients.

This potential low potency may result in reduced effectiveness of the pill and could result in an unplanned pregnancy. The risk associated with an unplanned pregnancy is higher for certain groups of women, such as those who have been advised against becoming pregnant for medical reasons or women who have been advised not to use very low dose formulations.

What you should do

• Verify the lot number of your medication to determine if you have the affected product.
• If you are unable to determine the lot number of your medication, contact the pharmacy from where it was received to confirm the lot number.
• Speak to your healthcare provider about an alternative oral contraceptive as Ortho-Cept is being discontinued and will no longer be available on the Canadian market.
• Use another form of reliable contraception and discontinue the use of the Ortho-Cept once you are safely switched over to the alternative.
• Return unopened packages to your pharmacist.
• Report any adverse events to Health Canada.

Report health or safety concerns

To report a side effect to a health product to Health Canada:

• Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345
• Visit MedEffect Canada’s web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax.