Canada-wide recall issued for birth control pills with extra placebos

Health Canada has announced a nationwide recall of birth control pills as they contain too many placebo pills.

On June 4, Health Canada issued a recall for Seasonale, a brand of birth control pills produced by Canadian pharmaceutical company Teva Canada Ltd.

The pills contain 0.15 mg of levonorgestrel and 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol and come with three blister cards of pills. The package should contain three blister trays with one row of white placebo pills.

Photo: Health Canada.

However, according to the advisory, the company is recalling two lots of Seasonale after receiving a complaint that a package of pills contained an extra row of white placebo pills where none should have been present.

Photo: Health Canada.

"Taking placebo pills instead of active (pink) pills may reduce the effectiveness of the product and could lead to an unintended pregnancy," reads the advisory.

The company is recalling lot numbers 100059661 and 100069150 with expiration dates Jan. 31, 2026, and Sept. 30, 2026.

Canadians are urged to check their package of pills to see if it's part of the affected lot. If so, do not take them and return the product to your pharmacy for a replacement or alternative product.

However, if you can't get to a pharmacy immediately, take the next active pink pill in proper order and contact your pharmacist for a replacement or alternative. If you took a placebo pill or you're unsure, use non-hormonal back-up contraception and speak with a healthcare professional.

"Seasonale should be taken daily unless otherwise directed by your prescriber to prevent pregnancy," reads the advisory.

"Taking the pills in the proper order, according to the instructions that accompany the product, is important for preventing pregnancy. Taking a placebo (white) pill out of order could lead to unplanned pregnancy and other side effects, including spotting and irregular bleeding."

Health Canada stated that it's monitoring the recall and investigation, as well as the steps the company is taking to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

This is the second recall of Teva Canada Ltd. birth control pills this year.

On May 2, Health Canada issued a recall of Seasonique after the company received a complaint that a package was missing two pills.