Beware Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch Danger

Ortho Evra® birth-control patches may cause:

Increased risk of blood clots
Increased risk of heart attacks
Increased risk of strokes

The Ortho Evra® contraceptive patch delivers increased levels of hormones to the bloodstream through the skin.

The FDA says " In general, increased estrogen exposure may increase the risk of blood clots."The FDA also says "Estrogen use is linked to blood clots in the legs and lungs and other clotting problems such as strokes and heart attacks."

If you or a loved one have been prescribed Ortho Evra® and have had a heart attack, stroke or blood clots, contact Bagolie Friedman Injury Lawyers now for a confidential and free consultation. Call toll free at 1-866-333-3529 now or email us at info@bagoliefriedman.com.

School Board to Test for Vinyl Chloride

The Corona-Norco school board voted Tuesday night to test the air at two local schools for a cancer-causing chemical that has been found at Norco High.

Over the next month, new science buildings at El Cerrito Middle and Corona High will be tested to see if plastics in the building are emitting a vapor called vinyl chloride.

Low levels of the same chemical have been found at Norco High for more than a year, but officials have presumed that the gas was coming from an underground plume of pollution from a nearby toxic-waste site.

However, earlier this month soil gas tests showed no link to the underground plume, prompting state regulators to consider building materials as the potential source.

Test results at the other two schools could reveal whether Wyle or the building materials are to blame for Norco High's problems. If the schools do test positive for the chemical, the district would also have to decide how to deal with the pollution.

Board member Bill Hedrick spearheaded this week's unanimous decision to test at other schools.

There is "no safe level" of vinyl chloride, he said.

"Whether they find a small amount or a large amount, it's got to be mitigated," Hedrick said. "Unfortunately, this is such a bad player you really don't want any of it."

Hedrick said mortgage companies have been reluctant to make loans for homes in the area.

"If mortgage companies look at it and go, we have questions, how much more of an obligation do we have as a school district to ensure safety?" he said.

It is not the first time the school district has grappled with hazardous materials in the schools, said Ted Rozzi, the district's assistant superintendent for facilities.

Over the past decade, the district mitigated hazardous mold and cancer-causing formaldehyde vapor from materials used to make portable classrooms. If found elsewhere, air circulation systems could help treat the vinyl chloride gas, he said.

In the meantime, officials with California's Department of Toxic Substances Control will continue to test for a link between the contamination at Norco High and the plume from Wyle Labs, a former hazardous-testing facility across the street from the school.

As for the building materials, the potential sources are the same poly vinyl tiles, carpets and wall coverings used in the other schools and in buildings around the nation. Such materials are capable of "off-gassing" -- defined as emission through evaporation.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, vinyl chloride is a carcinogen that chemically alters DNA in ways that could lead to the development of tumors, liver cancer, brain cancer and angiosarcoma.

The levels found so far don't pose a health threat to students but could slightly increase the risk of cancer for teachers working in the building over a period of decades, said a state toxicologist.

At least four cases of leukemia among Norco High students in recent years have raised concerns about students' health.

No such illnesses or concerns have been linked to Corona High, said Patti Anders, the school's Parent Teacher Association president.

"I think it's good that they're testing," she said. "At least this way, they can find out what's causing the problem at Norco High School."


Bagolie Friedman Injury Lawyers can help victims of vinyl chloride and PVC exposure. Contact them now, toll free at 1-866-333-3529 for a confidential and free consultation.

Workers Comp & Injury Law Blog: Beware of Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch Injury

Workers Comp & Injury Law Blog: Beware of Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch Injury

Beware of Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch Injury

Patients who have had a hernia repair that utilized a mesh patch are urged to contact their hernia surgeons or the hospital where their hernia repair surgery took place to find out if the recalled Composix® Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch was used in their hernia repair. The FDA list of recalled Composix® Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch

The FDA has advised patients who have been implanted with one of the recalled devices to seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms that could be associated with ring breakage such as unexplained or persistent abdominal pain, fever, tenderness at the implant site or other unusual symptoms.

Lawyers that practice in the area of defective medical devices have begun to prepare cases against Davol, the manufacturer of the recalled Bard Composix® Kugel Mesh Hernia Patch. Bagolie Friedman Injury Lawyers are investigating claims on behalf of patients who have received the recalled hernia mesh patches.

Proper testing of this device by the manufacturer would have revealed the defects with the device and saved many of these patients from multiple additional surgeries, complications and a lifetime of pain. We offer aggressive representation and free consultations and there is no fee if there is no recovery

The Composix® Kugel Mesh Patch is used to repair ventral (incisional) hernias caused by thinning or stretching of scar tissue that forms after surgery. The patch is placed behind the hernia defect through a small incision. The patch is then held open by a memory recoil ring that allows the patch to be folded for insertion and later spring open and lay flat once it is in place.

The memory recoil ring can break under the stress of placement of the large sized products in the intra-abdominal space. This can lead to numerous complications including infections, bowel perforations and/or chronic intestinal fistulae (abnormal connections or passageways between the intestines and other organs).

Contact Bagolie Friedman Injury Lawyers now for a no risk consultation.

Beware: The ORTHO EVRA PATCH - Whare the adverse reactions ORTHO EVRA causes?at

Blood clots and the birth control patch — Blood clots in the leg and blood clots lungs are behind the calls for a recall on the Ortho Evra patch.

Blood clots were the adverse reactions Ortho caused in the lungs of two women given the drug in clinical trials conducted before the drug was approved and in addition to many similar cases in women after the drug was marketed.

Adverse reactions ortho evra caused are now in the new warning. The FDA belatedly acknowledges the increased dangers of using ORTHO EVRA. These adverse reactions were first noted by the FDA physician who reviewed the drug before the agency approved it.

Despite the adverse ortho reactions that the FDA has now admitted -- that women who use the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch are exposed to about 60 percent more estrogen than if they were taking a typical birth control pill, the FDA still allowed the ORTHO EVRA on the market and is unwilling to ban or recall it.

The problem is that hundreds of pharmaceutical lobbyists put pressure on the government to keep the drugs on the market.

Birth control is prescribed to young, healthy women and should be associated with the lowest possible risk of serious adverse drug reactions. There is no evidence that the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch is a superior contraceptive compared to older birth control pills.

The Associated Press used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain adverse drug reaction reports for ORTHO EVRA from the FDA. They reported that in 23 cases where death was the outcome, doctors found that 17 of the patients’ death appeared to be blood clot-related, including 12 from last year. The FDA estimates that it receives reports of only 1 in 10 to 1 in 100 of the serious adverse drug reactions that actually occur, meaning that the actual rate of adverse reactions for Ortho Evra may be much higher.

Additionally, the Associated Press looked at the reviews of clinical trial results done by FDA physicians and scientists prior to the weekly birth control patch’s approval. The results were submitted for review by drug manufacturer Ortho-McNeil in support of ORTHO EVRA.

Ortho-McNeil and the FDA medical officer reviewing ORTHO EVRA disagreed about whether or not two cases of blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolus/PE) in young women participating in the pre-approval clinical trials were caused by the birth control patch. The FDA medical officer wrote:

The FDA reviewer did not agree with Ortho-McNeil’s above conclusions. The two blood clot cases of pulmonary embolus/PE, a serious and potentially fatal condition, must be counted as two cases in the original group. Furthermore the FDA insisted that ORTHO EVRA’s labeling include the possible risk of fatal blood clots such as venous thromboembolism (VTE).

The FDA also expressed concern that 211 out of 3,088 women ( or 6.8 percent) in the pre-approval clinical trials gained 10 or more pounds in the trials and the contraceptive effectiveness of the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch was reduced in women weighing more than 198 pounds.

Precautions to consider before taking ORTHO EVRA:
You could be at high risk for developing certain serious diseases that can be life threatening or may cause temporary or permanent disability or death. The risks associated with using the ORTHO EVRA birth control increase significantly if you:
• Smoke
• Have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol
• Have or have had clotting disorders, heart attack, stroke, chest pain (angina pectoris), and cancer of the breast or reproductive organs, jaundice, or malignant or benign liver tumors

Before using the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch, you must consult your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription drugs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking:

Are you allergic to estrogens, progestins, or other medications?

Be sure to mention any of the following: Tylenol, antibiotics, anticoagulants such as blood thinners, Lipitor, cyclosporine, HIV protease inhibitors, medications for seizures, Phenobarbital, morphine, oral steroids, thyroid medications, St. John Wort, and many more. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

In our 21st century pill popping society – drug interactions can be fatal and/or could alter the effectiveness of the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch.

Why take the risk when birth control pills are a much safer option? Women should be empowered to make the right choice for their bodies and long term health goals.

If you or a loved one has experienced problems from using the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch, contact Bagolie Friedman Injury Lawyers now for a confidential and free consultation.