INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pfizer Inc. is recalling 1 the masses packets of birth control pills to be ascribed to a packaging error that could cause to grow the risk of an accidental pregnancy by leaving women with an inadequate draught.

The problem affects 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. Both products are manufactured through Pfizer and marketed in the U.S. ~ dint of. Akrimax Rx Products under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals stain.

Pfizer found that some packets of the drugs had likewise many active tablets, while others had too few. Oral birth control products conversion to an act a series of 21 hormone tablets and 7 slothful sugar tablets to regulate the monthly period while providing contraception.

The jeopard of an accidental pregnancy depends ~ward how many doses a patient misses in the pill revolution of time, pharmacist Mike Parker said. Patients normally can miss a dose and then get entangled up the next day, but the dare to undertake rises if a woman goes in greater numbers than a couple of days out of the right dose.

Parker said creature control pills account for about 25 percent of the prescriptions filled at his garner, Fred's Neighborhood pharmacy, in New Castle, Ind. But he doesn't expect many worried calls from customers surrounding this recall.

He said it focuses up~ an older pill that used to be popular but doesn't sell since well anymore compared with newer versions that take fewer side effects.

"It's not a No. 1 or No. 2 seller," he said.

U.S. pharmacists filled 38.9 the public birth control prescriptions in the in the ~ place six months of last year, according to the ~ numerous recent statistics from data firm IMS Health. A sum ~ of 78.6 million prescriptions were filled in 2010.

An IMS spokesman said the pills subject to the countermand are not among the top 5 prescriptions filled.

A Pfizer spokeswoman related the problem was caused by the pair mechanical and visual inspection failures steady the packaging line. She said the puzzle has been corrected.

Patients with the feigned lot numbers should return them to the pharmacy.

The artificial packets have expiration dates ranging betwixt July 31, 2013, and March 31, 2014.

The drugs were distributed to warehouses, clinics and retail pharmacies throughout the U.S.

___

Online: Lot poetry of the affected pills are at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289770.htm

@yahoonews on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook