Panic Follows UK's Oral Contraceptive Warning

On October 19, the UK Department of Health issued a warning about seven brands of combined contraceptive pill, citing new evidence which it said indicated that these products carry twice the risk of causing thrombosis than other brands. The products affected, which are manufactured by Schering AG, Wyeth and Organon, are listed in the accompanying table.

The common feature between all these brands is the inclusion of gestodene or desogestrol as the progestogen component. In a statement, the CSM has said that women on these products should continue taking them but consult their doctor, preferably before finishing their current cycle, "to discuss whether a change of pill is necessary." An estimated 1.5 million British women, or 50% of the oral contraceptive-using population, are taking one of the listed products.

Prof Michael Rawlins, chairman of the CSM, stressed that the risk of a woman on the pill experiencing a thrombosis is small, and that there was no need to stop taking them abruptly. The link between combined contraceptives and venous thrombosis (mainly deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) has been proposed for some time, but the risk was considered acceptable, offset by high contraceptive efficacy and other positive effects, such as a reduction in heart attacks.