ORTHO EVRA – What Is the Patch?

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What is the Patch?

What is the Patch?

The Patch is birth control that you wear on your body. It is a small, beige, thin, smooth, square-shaped patch with rounded edges that helps prevent pregnancy the same way the birth control pill does. The medicine is delivered into the bloodstream through transdermal, or "through the skin," technology, instead of by traditional oral means. Learn more about how the Patch works.

The Patch is as effective as the Pill and is the only weekly form of reversible contraception that's 99% effective when used correctly. In fact, in clinical trials, where research was conducted in thousands of women, the effectiveness and reliability of the Patch were demonstrated.

Over 2 million women have used the Patch.

They find that ORTHO EVRA^® is convenient and easy to use. In a clinical study, women who used the Patch were more likely to use it consistently and correctly than women who took birth control pills. Please see Important Safety Information.

For additional information on women's health and birth control options, you may want to visit the following sites:

www.thepill.com
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

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ORTHO EVRA^® is indicated for the prevention of pregnancy in women who elect to use a transdermal patch as a method of contraception.
This product is available by prescription only.

Important Safety Information

Serious as well as minor side effects have been reported with the use of the Patch. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke and heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially if you are over 35. Women who use the Patch are strongly advised not to smoke. Some women should not use the Patch, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack, blood clots, or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant.

Hormones from ORTHO EVRA^® get into the bloodstream and are processed by the body differently than hormones from birth control pills. You will be exposed to about 60% more estrogen if you use ORTHO EVRA^® than if you use a typical birth control pill containing 35 micrograms of estrogen. In general, increased estrogen may increase the risk of side effects. The risk of venous thromboembolic events (blood clots in the legs and/or the lungs) may be increased with ORTHO EVRA^® use compared with use of birth control pills. Studies examined the risk of these serious blood clots in women who used either ORTHO EVRA^® or birth control pills containing one of two progestins (levonorgestrel or norgestimate) and 30–35 micrograms of estrogen. Results of these studies ranged from an approximate doubling of risk of serious blood clots to no increase in risk in women using ORTHO EVRA^® compared to women using birth control pills.

You should discuss with your healthcare professional whether ORTHO EVRA^® is a good method of contraception for you.
The Patch does not protect against HIV or sexually transmitted diseases.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see the Detailed Patient Labeling from the full Product Information.

© Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Your use of the information on this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Notice. Please see our Privacy Policy. This site is published by Ortho Women's Health & Urology^™, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is solely responsible for its contents.

Capitalized product names are registered trademarks of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This information is intended for use by our customers, patients and healthcare professionals in the United States only. Ortho Women's Health & Urology^™, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., recognizes that the Internet is a global communications medium; however, laws, regulatory requirements and medical practices for pharmaceutical products vary from country to country. The prescribing information included here may not be appropriate for use outside the United States.
Last Modified On January 20, 2010