Chennai, Sep 27 (NationPress) A case involving an incomplete abortion at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Karur district has triggered a significant response from the state's drug control authorities, who are now actively targeting the illegal trade of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits.

This initiative comes in the wake of discovering a substantial supply chain operating without the necessary prescriptions and oversight mandated by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.

Officials noted that the alert was raised earlier this month when a woman was admitted to the PHC suffering from complications resulting from an unsupervised abortion after taking MTP pills acquired outside the medical system.

An investigation led by drug inspectors in Namakkal district uncovered the illicit procurement and distribution of thousands of abortion pill kits.

Findings revealed that over 6,700 MTP kits — containing the drugs Mifepristone and Misoprostol — were purchased in bulk from an out-of-state manufacturer and distributed without medical supervision.

The supplier, lacking the appropriate license, reportedly utilized another individual's wholesale license for several months to make these purchases. These medications were subsequently sold across various regions in Tamil Nadu, including Theni and Salem districts.

Authorities stressed that the sale and use of MTP kits are heavily regulated to avert life-threatening complications. These medications are meant to be prescribed by qualified medical professionals and administered in approved healthcare environments to ensure patient safety.

The unsupervised administration of such drugs can lead to severe bleeding, incomplete abortions, infections, and other significant health risks.

The state's Drug Control Administration (DCA) has lodged a formal complaint with local law enforcement to initiate legal proceedings against those involved in this unauthorized trade.

Officials are also working to track the network of buyers and potential connections to unregulated abortion centers. Further investigations are ongoing to ascertain how long this operation has been active and how it reached its end users.

Health authorities reiterated their previous request to the Union Health Ministry for stricter regulations governing the online sale of prescription medications.

They cautioned that the ease of online access to abortion pills from suppliers outside Tamil Nadu continues to pose a public health risk and called for enhanced enforcement efforts to dismantle the illicit market.