Ulcer pills used to do abortions

Kadian Brown* has been making big bucks from a very dangerous business. For approximately 10 years, she has been selling a powerful ulcer treatment drug to females interested in terminating pregnancies.

"Is a lot a people a buy it, enuh, is a really big business. It nah do nobody nothing, once dem follow me instructions dem good," she said.

Brown sells Cytotec (Misoprostol) which is often prescribed by some doctors to treat serious stomach ulcers, and should not be dispensed by a pharmacist without a prescription.

However, Brown said with the assistance of her 'pharmacist friends', she easily accesses the pills which she distributes for as much as $15,000 per set.

"A lot a people come to me because me no just sell dem pills like that. Me give them antibiotics to take after the process so that no germs no leave inna them, and me always call and check up to ensure say dem alright," she said.

Explaining how the drug is administered, Brown told THE STAR that three pills are inserted high in the vagina and two ingested orally.

When done correctly, she said the foetus will be expelled within a few hours.

"All she have to do is just insert dem and lay down. Naturally, it comes with pain but the process no last fi more than a few hours. The bleeding get less when everything come out," she said.

Her clients are between ages 15 and 42 and are from different socio-economic backgrounds.

VARYING CLIENTELE

"Nuff time some likkle schoolgirl get pregnant and can't tell dem parents so dem link me. It simple, enuh. Dem just take the pill and go a dem bed and most a di time dem go back a school by the next day. Nuff rich man link me and waan me dash weh belly fi dem side girl, some real 'topanaris' people," she said.

Brown said she does not recommend the pills to anyone who is more than 24 weeks pregnant but admits that she went against her own rule in the past.

"A girl link me one day and tell me say she can't let her babyfada know say she a breed fi her next man. She beg me although she did soon reach seven months. Me warn di gal, enuh and she still insist. Me did feel a way but she and God have to go talk bout dat," she said.

Further checks revealed that some pharmacists and doctors are also involved in the black market business.

Gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Michael Abrahams said he is aware of the practice and warned against it. He also reminded the sellers that abortion is still illegal in Jamaica.

"Last week, I saw a patient who had taken it and it didn't work. It will cause a female to bleed but the pregnancy is sometimes still intact. I would caution anyone against using it," he said.

He stated that persons from the medical field who are illegally issuing the drug are extremely irresponsible.

*Name changed