Pfizer has recalled more than one million packs of Lo/Ovral-28 and Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets.
The chief of obstetrics at Moses Taylor Hospital said he has never seen a birth control recall this big and it could lead to unwanted pregnancies and other complications for women.
Pfizer voluntarily recalled the packs of birth control pills after discovering errors in the number and sequence of some pills that could put women at risk for unwanted pregnancies.
The recall includes 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol with expiration dates of July 31, 2013 to March 31, 2014.
The affected product is distributed nationwide to retail pharmacies, clinics and warehouses.
Doctor Frank Kolucki, chief of obstetrics at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton said he has never seen a recall like this.
"Never this big, never this big or the scope of this is really big. One million packs, that`s going to affect a lot of women," Dr. Kolucki said.
Pfizer said some blister packs of the birth control tablets could have an incorrect amount of active pills and inert, or sugar pills, and that the pills could be out of sequence.
Medical experts said that's a big problem.
"When birth control pills were first formulated, there`s a very specific amount of hormone that needs to be given in a very specific number of days in order to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. So it`s crucially important," Kolucki added.
Pfizer said the packaging errors don't pose any immediate health risks, but Dr. Kolucki said they could lead to other issues for women.
"A woman could also have cycle irregularities because if she is on the pill, and she`s getting sugar pills when she should be getting active pills. That can definitively lead to some menstrual irregularities," Kolucki said.