Background: An association between oral contraceptive (OC) use and venous
thromboembolism (VTE) has long been recognized. However, no summary estimates of the
increase in VTE risk associated with OC use have been available since 1995, and no meta-
analyses have evaluated the VTE risk of new preparations containing drospirenone.
Objective: The aim of the study was to carry out a meta-analysis to summarize existing
evidence on the association between venous VTE and OC use, and to investigate how such …

Background and purpose of the workshop Concern about the venous thromboembolism
(VTE) risk of new hormonal contraceptive options shortly after their entry into the market has
triggered a number of 'pill scares', each of which resulted in panic stopping of the
formulations in question and a spike in unplanned pregnancies, yet with no subsequent
reduction in VTE rates among women of reproductive age. Perhaps the best example of a
recent pill scare that resulted in enormous harm from a public health perspective was the …