Woman pays dearly for online medicine
By Cai Wenjun and Xu Chi |
July 26, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A WOMAN who bought medicines online in the vain hope of having twins suffered serious damages and had to have her left ovary removed, a local hospital said yesterday.
Medical experts said clomiphene is used to induce ovulation in women who do not produce eggs but wish to become pregnant. It can lead to multiple ovulation, hence increasing the chance of twins - and triplets.
It is a prescribed medicine and must be taken under strict supervision of doctors, as improper intake can cause various side effects.
The woman, surnamed Wang, bought clomiphene online and started to take the medicine without consulting any doctors early this year after a friend gave birth to twins, reportedly after taking the same medicine.
But Wang, after taking the medicines, developed complications and started vomiting and was rushed to the No. 411 Hospital of People's Liberation Army earlier this year.
"Medical checks revealed that the patient suffered complication of over-stimulation to the ovaries and both ovaries have had cysts," said Dr Dai Liangtu, the hospital's director of gynecology.
"The left ovary had failed and had to be removed, while we are not sure whether the right one is healthy enough for fertilization."
Officials from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration said patients must go to hospital for diagnosis and drug prescription. "No prescribed medicines are allowed to be sold online," said Du Bing, an administration official.
"Women with infertility must go to hospital for professional consultation instead of buying medicines randomly."
However, the medicine which is called "multiple-baby pills" is still popular online.
On the Internet, a box of such pills is being sold with different prices ranging from 100 yuan (US$16.29) to 200 yuan.
A vendor selling the pills on a babycare forum said the pills were made of clomiphene.
Medical experts said clomiphene is used to induce ovulation in women who do not produce eggs but wish to become pregnant. It can lead to multiple ovulation, hence increasing the chance of twins - and triplets.
It is a prescribed medicine and must be taken under strict supervision of doctors, as improper intake can cause various side effects.
The woman, surnamed Wang, bought clomiphene online and started to take the medicine without consulting any doctors early this year after a friend gave birth to twins, reportedly after taking the same medicine.
But Wang, after taking the medicines, developed complications and started vomiting and was rushed to the No. 411 Hospital of People's Liberation Army earlier this year.
"Medical checks revealed that the patient suffered complication of over-stimulation to the ovaries and both ovaries have had cysts," said Dr Dai Liangtu, the hospital's director of gynecology.
"The left ovary had failed and had to be removed, while we are not sure whether the right one is healthy enough for fertilization."
Officials from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration said patients must go to hospital for diagnosis and drug prescription. "No prescribed medicines are allowed to be sold online," said Du Bing, an administration official.
"Women with infertility must go to hospital for professional consultation instead of buying medicines randomly."
However, the medicine which is called "multiple-baby pills" is still popular online.
On the Internet, a box of such pills is being sold with different prices ranging from 100 yuan (US$16.29) to 200 yuan.
A vendor selling the pills on a babycare forum said the pills were made of clomiphene.
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