Regulators in South Africa have recalled a batch of the popular Yaz Plus contraceptive pill, after a packaging mix-up which means the contraception could be potentially ineffective. Manufacturer Bayer Ltd said women using pills from the affected batch should stop immediately and seek medical advice. A packaging mix-up led to a number of blister packs carrying 24 inactive pills, instead of 24 hormone-containing active pills.
The issue affected only a limited number of packets in a specific batch labelled WEW96J, expiring in March 2026 The erroneous batch has been recalled by Bayer, in consultation with South Africa Health Products Regulatory Agency , with the company stressing the "root cause" of the mix-up had been identified and dealt with. A regular pack of Yaz Plus contraceptives contains 24 active pills containing hormones, which are pink in colour, followed by four hormone-free, inactive pills, which are light orange in colour. In the recalled batch, a number of packs instead carried 24 hormone-free inactive pills and only four active hormone pills.
The concern is that a woman could be at risk of becoming pregnant having taken inactive pills believing she was taking effective hormonal contraception. Bayer Ltd's recall notice says: "While only a limited number of packs from the respective batch is affected, as a precautionary measure, no tablets from these packs shall be used until you have consulted your healthcare practitioner, as they may potentially not provide the co.
