Women 'at risk' from illegal abortion pill imports

Dr Pippa MacKay warned against internet purchases. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Women will die if more is not done to stop the illegal importation of abortion drugs, a leading abortion doctor says.

In the past 18 months four illegal abortions have been reported to the Abortion Supervisory Committee -- the first cases since it started monitoring abortions in 1976, the Sunday Star-Times reported yesterday.

In one of the cases a woman almost died from heavy bleeding after taking an abortion pill bought over the internet.

Doctors are concerned that if woman buy abortion pills such as mifepristone, also known as RU 486, from offshore suppliers over the internet they are putting themselves at risk.

Abortion operating surgeon Pippa MacKay said today people did not know the risks of what they were buying if they bought it on the internet.

Such practises were completely unnecessary as people had legal access to abortions in New Zealand if they needed them, Dr MacKay, a former Medical Association chairwoman, told National Radio.

"It's our responsibility to make sure that women know that they have access to services if they need them and are appropriate for them rather than having to do essentially back street type abortions, because they are dangerous.

"Women have always died from illegal abortions and if people are going to do this then it will only be a matter of time before someone does."

Mifepristone is available in New Zealand on prescription, but the unauthorised importing of prescription medicines, via the internet, or by other means is illegal.

Abortion Law Reform Association president and abortion doctor Margaret Sparrow said she supported a crackdown on the illegal importation of abortion pills.

Dr Sparrow told National Radio haemorrhaging was a known possible side effect of the drug, so it was important people had accurate information and medical support in case a dangerous side effect developed.

Under current laws people can be fined $500 for buying unauthorised prescription drugs online, but Health Ministry's drug safety agency Medsafe told The Star-Times there were plans to increase that to $10,000.

The agency said pills, mainly from China, were sometimes detected by Customs.

To date no action had been taken against those who had imported pills for personal use, other than explaining their illegality.

- NZPA