Desogestrel

Desogestrel is a molecule used in hormonal contraceptives.

Controversy
In February of 2007, the consumer adovcacy group Public Citizen released a petition requesting that the FDA ban oral contraceptives containing desogestrel, citing studies going as far back as 1995 that suggest the risk of dangerous blood clots is doubled for women on such pills in comparison to other oral contraceptives.

Most combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs, or simply OCs) on the market today contain both an estrogen compound (ethinyl estradiol is common) plus a progestin (a progesterone-like compound) such as desogestrel.

As such, desogestrel-containing birth control pills are sometimes referred to as "third generation" oral contraceptives. Drugs cited specifically in the petition include Apri-28, Cyclessa, Desogen, Kariva, Mircette, Ortho-Cept, Reclipsen, Velivet and some generic pills. Birth control pills that are considered "second generation" (Ortho Tri-Cyclen, for example) contain an estrogen and a progestin, but the progestin is different, such as levonorgestrel.

The dispute is whether third generation OCs are less safe than the second generations OCs, which are considered the current "gold standard" in terms of oral contraceptive safety.