Birth control pills are being recalled after nearly 170,000 packs were packaged in the wrong order, causing concerns that the error could lead to unintended pregnancies, The Washington Post reported.
Pharmaceutical company Allergan announced Tuesday that four placebo pills were placed where the active pills should be in the botched sample packs of the birth control Taytulla.
The 28-pill pack features 24 active pink capsules with hormones followed by four maroon capsules without hormones.
However, in the recalled packs identified by a physician, the four placebo pills were placed at the start of the treatment.
The error may not be apparent to the user and may lead to women taking the pills out of order, putting them at risk of contraceptive failure and unintended pregnancy.
The company is arranging for return of all packs with the lot #5620706 Exp. May 2019 and encouraging patients to consult their doctors if they think they may have been affected by the recall, CNN noted.
The error is reminiscent of a similar incident that took place in 2015, which saw over 100 sue another birth control manufacturer after incorrect pill packaging allegedly led to unplanned pregnancies.
According to the suit, the pill packages made by Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, part of Endo Pharmaceuticals, were "rotated 180 degrees . . . reversing the weekly tablet orientation."
When it comes to oral birth control, the pill can be up to 99 percent effective, Planned Parenthood noted.
However, it is more likely 91 percent effective as not all users take it at the exact same time every day, which means that even when taken correctly, nine out of 100 pill users still get pregnant each year.
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