Judge rules against pill claimants

NEW versions of the contraceptive pill are not defective and pose no greater risk than earlier types, a court ruled yesterday.

Mr Justice Mackay in the High Court in London dismissed a group litigation brought by 99 women against Schering Health Care Ltd, Organon Laboratories Ltd and John Wyeth and Brother Ltd, manufacturers of the third generation pill.

His complex ruling, following 44 days of legal argument and evidence given by 10 epidemiological experts, concluded with the finding that there was no enhanced relative risk between the second and third generations of pill.