Jessy Edwards  |  June 10, 2021

Category: Canada

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Pfizer Canada and Wyeth Canada made an oral contraceptive pill that was faulty, a class action lawsuit claims.
(Photo Credit: Image Point Fr/Shutterstock)

Pfizer Canada and Wyeth Canada made an oral contraceptive pill that was faulty, and two women got pregnant while taking it, a newly-certified class action lawsuit alleges.

The British Columbian Supreme Court on Tuesday certified the class action, ruling the claim against the pharmaceutical giants could go ahead, Coast Reporter reports.

Plaintiffs Taylor Janet MacKinnon and Alysa McIntosh both say they got pregnant due to manufacturing defects in the Alesse 21 and Alesse 28 birth control pills. 

In her ruling on Tuesday, Justice Karen Horsman noted the focus of the case was a 2017 warning put out by Health Canada, after it received complaints that Alesse packages had come with undersized and broken pills.

“Broken or smaller-than-normal birth control pills may deliver a smaller dose of the active drug ingredient, which could reduce its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy,” Health Canada said.

MacKinnon and McIntosh allege that later testing of the pills found that even the regular-sized ones contained lower levels of estrogen than advertised, and lower levels than was required for the pills to work.

They are accusing Pfizer and Wyeth of negligent failure to take reasonable steps to ensure the contraceptive was safe and effective.

The plaintiffs are looking to represent other women who took the hormone pills anytime between Jan. 1, 2017 and April 30, 2019.

Meanwhile, more than 700 Canadian women are suing the multinational pharmaceutical company Bayer alleging its birth control implant Essure – now off the market – was unsafe and caused them pain and serious complications, including the need for a hysterectomy in one case.

What do you think of the womens’ claims against the pharma companies? Let us know in the comments!


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2 thoughts onFaulty Pfizer Birth Control Pills Didn’t Prevent Pregnancy, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

  1. Judy Johnston says:

    Sorry. The issues with our family occurred before 2017

  2. Judy Johnston says:

    Was on alesse and got pregnant . A few years ago. As did my sister and my daughter.

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