UPDATE: Company responds to compromised Alesse 21 & 28 birth control pills

(UPDATE: December 2nd @ 11:30 a.m.)

Christina Antoniou, Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs for Pfizer Canada, responded to NowMedia with the following statement:

“Pfizer Canada is working with Health Canada to determine the nature and scope of the issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and assess the need for further action. Pfizer Canada will update consumers and health care professionals as appropriate.

Pfizer is committed to ensuring the safety and quality of our medicines. Every complaint received by the organization is investigated and, when available, complaint samples are retrieved and analyzed. Pfizer takes patient safety very seriously and takes action if patient safety is at risk.”

For more information on Pfizer Canada, visit the following website.

(Original: December 2nd @ 11 a.m.)

Health Canada reported on Saturday, that some packages of birth control pills, Alesse 21 & 28, may contain broken or smaller than normal pills.

Health Canada warns that the compromised packages may reduce the effectiveness in preventing pregnancy.

Alesse 21 & 28 birth control pill: Packages may contain broken or smaller than normal pills, which may reduce effectiveness in preventing pregnancy https://t.co/tvGDxCygw1 #safety #CheckYourPills pic.twitter.com/3UX7npHwyB

— GovCanHealth (@GovCanHealth) December 2, 2017

Complaints were received for both the Alesse 21 (21 active pills) and Alesse 28 (21 active pills, seven without hormones).

The packages with the pink pill, contained pills roughly half the size of its normal size.

The following products were involved in complaints:

• Alesse 21 (DIN 02236974) Lot A2532, expires August 2018
• Alesse 28 (DIN 02236975) Lot A3183, expires April 2019

However, the complaints may involve more than the above mentioned products.

To properly ensure your pills have not been compromised, Health Canada says to do the following:

• Check your pills before and after taking them out of the blister package. Do not consume a pill if it looks unusual. Check both sides of each pill for unusual markings, such as difference in colour, jagged edges, smaller size, or the pill is broken. It's important to take the pill out and examine both sides.

• If you have a package with an unusual pill, return it to your pharmacy for a replacement package.

• Do not stop taking your birth control pills, as this may result in pregnancy. If you have questions or concerns about your birth control product, talk to a health care professional, including about alternatives.

To report an unusual incident, call Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345, or report it online.

To report a complaint, call Health Canada at 1-800-267-9675, or complete an online complaint form.

NowMedia has reached out to the company, Pfizer, and is awaiting a response.