Illegal Chinese abortion pills intercepted

Health authorities have laid charges against the importers of contraceptive and abortion pills with potentially dangerous side-effects.

The Ministry of Health believes that the crackdown has cut off the supply of the Chinese-made pills into the country - but cannot rule out the possibility of other distributors.

Director-General of Health Karen Poutasi warned women against taking the pills without obtaining legal advice. The warning was issued after surveillance by regulatory body Medsafe.

Medsafe compliance team leader Derek Fitzgerald said the drugs, which were in courier bags, were intercepted at Auckland International Airport in February after covert surveillance by the agency and Customs officers.

"We've put forward charges under the Medicines Act, including supplying medicines that are unproven in New Zealand and supplying medicines without those medicines being supplied through a pharmacy or a pharmacist," he said.

The importers also face one charge under the Crimes Act of supplying the means to procure an abortion.

Mr Fitzgerald declined to reveal any details about the people charged, as the matter was now before the courts. The importers will appear in Auckland District Court next month.

The drugs were being sold to the New Zealand public after being imported privately and advertised through a New Zealand-operated Chinese language website over the past 18 months.

They appear to have come from China. Two were emergency contraceptives, three were abortion pills and one was a contraceptive pill.

Mr Fitzgerald estimates that hundreds of the emergency contraceptives were distributed and a lesser number of the abortion pills.

He said the abortion pills were cause for a "lot of concern" as they needed to be taken under close medical supervision because of the possibility of heavy bleeding and infection.

The emergency contraceptives contained a compound that could cause nausea and abdominal pain.

Medsafe warned that the medicines might cause birth defects, and women who might have taken the abortion pills and found their pregnancy continuing should consult a doctor.

Other products have also been found and are being tested for their chemical ingredients.

Mr Fitzgerald said that although all imports of medicines were scrutinised, it was "fairly unusual" to pick up drugs of this kind. The ministry had yet to receive any reports of people who had suffered adverse reactions.


THE PRODUCTS

* Yu Ting, Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP)

* Anting (ECP)

* Si Mi An (ECP)

* Mifepristone

* Mi Suo

* Marvelon