by Heather Graf
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - It's the announcement that's prompted panic among women across the country: a birth control recall, that could raise the risk for accidental pregnancies. Now, that worry and fear is trickling down to local pharmacies.
"Certainly when something that major comes about, patients call and get a little excited," said Jason Greene, the pharmacy manager at Reeves-Sain Pharmacy in Murfreesboro.
Greene says they haven't yet been bombarded with phone calls from concerned customers, but he expects that will change as word about the recall continues to spread.
Pfizer is recalling one million packets of birth control, after discovering a packaging error that could leave women with an inadequate dose of the hormone-based drugs, and raise the risk that they will get pregnant.
The problem affects 14 lot of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.
"There's typically 21 active pills, and seven placebo or inactive pills," said Greene. "And some of the packaging from Pfizer, some of the inactive pills got mixed in with the active pills."
It seems every female customer at Reeves-Sain is already aware of the issue, and has an opinion about it.
"I'd be horrified," said Lisa Bryant. "Knowing you're getting a product, expecting it to work like it's supposed to, and it doesn't. It defeats the purpose all together."
Others say it makes them cautious about trusting the pill, ever again.
"Things get recalled every day. You're never for sure," said Amy Koss. "It's a pill. It's man-made. You honestly can't trust it."
Greene says the only reassurance he can provide customers right now, is that there are other options out there.
"'There are multiple brands of birth control, and this is just one of maybe 20, 25, that are on the market," he said.
The pills affected by this recall are Lo-Ovral-28 and its generic version, Norgestrel.
If you've been taking that type of birth control you should first contact your physician, and then return the entire pack to your local pharmacy.
Pfizer says the recall involves about a million packs of those pills, distributed all over the country.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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