Women who are using the birth control pill Taytulla are advised to check the serial numbers, as Allergan, the pharmaceutical company that makes it, has just announced a packaging error that may put women at risk for unplanned pregnancy.
170,000 Taytulla Packs Recalled
A typical Taytulla pack consists of 24 pink-colored pills with hormones, which are taken at the beginning of the birth control treatment. These pink pills are then followed by four maroon-colored placebo capsules at the end.
Allergan issued a voluntary recall of 170,000 Taytulla packs after a doctor alerted it about the wrong order of pills. The order of pills in the affected products, which have been in circulation since August, was reversed. The placebo capsules came first and the pink-colored pills later.
The birth control company said that the packaging error could lead to unplanned pregnancy.
Recalled Packs Contain Pills In Reverse Order
In a statement released on Tuesday, Allergan warned that the reversed order of the pills may not be apparent to new or previous users, which could increase odds of taking the capsules out of order.
The order of the capsule is crucial since the first 24 days of the cycle should involve taking pills that carry ethinyl estradiol, a hormone widely used in minimizing pregnancy. The last four capsules do not have hormones in them and are supposed to serve as placebo.
"Allergan is notifying customers by recall letter and is arranging for return of all recalled sample pack product with the lot #5620706 Exp. May 2019," the company said in a statement. "Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Allergan by phone at 800-678-1605 8am-8pm EST Monday through Friday."
No Reports Of Unplanned Pregnancies Yet
Allergan advised its consumers to consult with their physician or healthcare provider if they have concerns. No unplanned pregnancies as a result of taking the wrongfully packaged pills has so far been reported.
Other Recalls Of Birth Control Pills
This is not the first time that birth control pills have been recalled. In 2017, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, maker of the Mibelas 24 FE birth control pills, made a voluntary recall also because of the same packaging error that reversed the tablet orientation of the contraceptive pills.
Pfizer also recalled Lo/Ovral-38 and generic contraceptive pills in 2012 after an investigation revealed that some of the packs may not contain the accurate count of ingredients, and the tablet may be out of sequence.
