Extreme caution advised with usage of online abortion pills

By: Conner James - MSTv Correspondent

In this world of immediate online satisfaction, nothing is out of the reach of the spending consumer.  But, with the immediate usually comes a lack of quality, or safety.

Now that lack of safety comes to a head as there is a growing concern over women, worldwide, purchasing untested abortion pills online.

One of the great, but most regrettable aspects of online purchases is that you can find anything you could want, or conceive, easily and at a price you're willing to pay.  But, as there is no true regulating body for this worldwide entity, the term "buyer beware" holds true more so online then anywhere else. 

Yet, women are drastically forgoing their health for the promise of a problem being "removed" with ease.  But, some are paying harsh consequences.

The US and Great Briton Government's health regulators, the FDA and  MHRA, warn it is dangerous as people don't know what they are getting with online abortion pills.

---

Painful and traumatic side effects were common for most women who chose to use these drugs. 

"The ordeal was incredibly painful," describes Suzanne Lee, who took the three pill dosage in 2012.

She said: "As soon as I took the last pill, that was it, I was in the bathroom bleeding and vomiting all over the place.  I regret getting the pills, but at the time, I felt it just was cheaper then seeing a doctor."

---

With the ease of purchase, BBC Newsbeat ordered some abortion pills online to get them tested. The website didn't want any medical information or prescription;  just credit card details.

Three bright yellow pills turned up in the mail a week later with no instructions on how to take them. However after being analyzed at a drug testing clinic, the results showed they were mostly made up of paracetamol, a generic pain reliever, fever reducer and the primary ingredient in acetaminophen.

It should be noted that these pills were from just one website of many offering the pills. And it should be noted that online purchases of any drugs, other then from regulated companies, carry no guarantees or guidelines for their usage or your safety. 

Such warnings need to be taken to heed when thoughts of purchasing any abortion pill online, and questioning just what is in it.

Its advice for anyone thinking about having an abortion is to speak to a medical professional. Heidi Wright from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says it is worrying: "We are very concerned, firstly the abortion pill shouldn't be available online anyway.

She said: "We find more and more that actually among the women we come across, they have all used internet abortion pills."

---