But court documents now reveal a second whistleblower, a former vice president who resigned rather than sign off on a "benefit and risk safety evaluation" he disagreed with. The patch has been linked to blood clots -- possibly from great estrogen exposure -- and the plantiffs allege that J&J knew it had greater risks than birth-control pills (which have as much as 60% less estrogen than the patch), but marketed it agressively, underplaying the dangers.Postmarket studies are ongoing, and results so far have been contradictory. They could ultimately decide the fate of the lawsuits. In the meantime, J&J has a very messy situation on its hands.