Comments on: Birth control recall http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:52:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: robdobbs http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1335198 robdobbs Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1335198 I've always wondered, for like a minute, why they don't make each set of pills a different shape that fit in a matching divot in the dispenser. Then the sugar pills could never be put in the wrong location in the pack. I’ve always wondered, for like a minute, why they don’t make each set of pills a different shape that fit in a matching divot in the dispenser. Then the sugar pills could never be put in the wrong location in the pack.

]]> By: travtastic http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1335199 travtastic Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1335199 For probably under $1k. You get yourself a cheap, low-resolution digital camera, and you add an indexing color dot to the packaging (for orientation). The camera then checks to see that the pills of the correct color are in the correct place. If not, an arm actuates them into a segregation bin. For probably under $1k. You get yourself a cheap, low-resolution digital camera, and you add an indexing color dot to the packaging (for orientation). The camera then checks to see that the pills of the correct color are in the correct place. If not, an arm actuates them into a segregation bin.

]]> By: Gyrofrog http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334876 Gyrofrog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334876 I immediately thought of <a href="http://www.kozma.curragh-labs.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Make-Mistakes-ad.jpg" rel="nofollow">this old ad</a> from <i>The Acme Novelty Library</i> I immediately thought of this old ad from The Acme Novelty Library

]]> By: Nathan Hornby http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334797 Nathan Hornby Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334797 And with a product like this they'd have quite a lot of screening - and if this is something that affects a whole batch - it seems impossible it could have made it to the public. I saw condoms on How It's Made and was surprised at just how much effort they do go to making sure they're not flawed (at the individual level) - if this process is even remotely similar then it's a very odd screw up. And with a product like this they’d have quite a lot of screening – and if this is something that affects a whole batch – it seems impossible it could have made it to the public.

I saw condoms on How It’s Made and was surprised at just how much effort they do go to making sure they’re not flawed (at the individual level) – if this process is even remotely similar then it’s a very odd screw up.

]]> By: agthorn http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334756 agthorn Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334756 Yep, that was my first thought too. There's a picture accompanying the HuffPo article with misaligned pill rows: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/pfizer-recall-birth-control-pills_n_1246301.html You can bet if I opened my package and saw that I'd be heading back to the pharmacy immediately. Yep, that was my first thought too. There’s a picture accompanying the HuffPo article with misaligned pill rows: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/pfizer-recall-birth-control-pills_n_1246301.html You can bet if I opened my package and saw that I’d be heading back to the pharmacy immediately.

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334655 penguinchris Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334655 I wonder about the packaging process. I'm imagining the kind of automated system you'd see on "How It's Made", and in my mind I can't <i>not</i> think of a system that would make this kind of screw-up <i>quite difficult</i> to achieve. Surely there would be several safeguards in place for something like this. Would be interesting, just out of curiosity, to know exactly how it happened. I'm sure they've got people investigating it, not that they'll share their results. I wonder about the packaging process. I’m imagining the kind of automated system you’d see on “How It’s Made”, and in my mind I can’t not think of a system that would make this kind of screw-up quite difficult to achieve. Surely there would be several safeguards in place for something like this.

Would be interesting, just out of curiosity, to know exactly how it happened. I’m sure they’ve got people investigating it, not that they’ll share their results.

]]> By: techdeviant http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334609 techdeviant Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334609 I recently had some of my pills recalled (not the brands listed above), but the recall notice came with an explanation saying that the labels were put on upside down, and that the sugar pills were labeled as the first week instead of the last week. I agree that I would have noticed if my pills had been mislabeled or in the wrong place because of the color difference. I recently had some of my pills recalled (not the brands listed above), but the recall notice came with an explanation saying that the labels were put on upside down, and that the sugar pills were labeled as the first week instead of the last week. I agree that I would have noticed if my pills had been mislabeled or in the wrong place because of the color difference.

]]> By: Melissa Miller http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334596 Melissa Miller Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334596 Most birth control pills are color coded.  Mine (I don't use the recalled brand) are white for the active pills and yellow for the inactive ones.  Wouldn't one be able to tell something is up when they open the package? Most birth control pills are color coded.  Mine (I don’t use the recalled brand) are white for the active pills and yellow for the inactive ones.  Wouldn’t one be able to tell something is up when they open the package?

]]> By: jackbird http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334587 jackbird Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334587 I wonder if anyone's going to successfully sue them for child support? I wonder if anyone’s going to successfully sue them for child support?

]]> By: lknope http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334582 lknope Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334582 That's what <i>Pfizer</i> is worried about? That’s what Pfizer is worried about?

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334580 Mister44 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334580 Cue the "we secretly switched... let's see if they notice." jokes. Cue the “we secretly switched… let’s see if they notice.” jokes.

]]> By: sota767 http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334576 sota767 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334576 In other news Trojan ran out of latex so they're using some gummy bear mixture they had laying around for the latest batch of condoms. In other news Trojan ran out of latex so they’re using some gummy bear mixture they had laying around for the latest batch of condoms.

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334565 phisrow Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334565 I, for one, predict an increase in the number of babies named "Placebo", "Class Action", and "Tortious Negligence"... I, for one, predict an increase in the number of babies named “Placebo”, “Class Action”, and “Tortious Negligence”…

]]> By: Chicago_SC http://boingboing.net/2012/02/01/birth-control-recall.html#comment-1334563 Chicago_SC Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=141823#comment-1334563 I'm curious if anything like this has ever happened before?  Strikes me as highly probable. I’m curious if anything like this has ever happened before?  Strikes me as highly probable.

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