Abortion, Sterilizing Kits Condemned

WASHINGTON — Do-it-yourself kits promoted on the Internet for home abortions and female self-sterilizations can be lethal and should not be used, the Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.

The FDA said these products pose “significant, possibly life-threatening risks,” and the sterilization kit uses drugs not adequately tested on humans for mutations and cancer.

In addition, because the source of the drugs is unknown, their purity may be suspect, said Dr. Lisa Rarick, an FDA obstetrician-gynecologist. The FDA also noted that U.S. law prohibits the sale and promotion of unapproved medical products.

Another danger with both kits is that abortion and sterilization require extensive monitoring by health professionals, Rarick said.

The abortion kit uses methotrexate and misoprostol, not approved by the FDA for abortion, and an FDA health assessment found that using the kit without a doctor’s supervision could cause heavy vaginal bleeding or death.

In addition, birth defects can result if a pregnancy is carried to term after taking these drugs.

The self-sterilization kit uses pellets of quinacrine hydrochloride, an unapproved drug that can cause ectopic pregnancy, other abnormal pregnancies and permanent damage to reproductive organs, Rarick said.