Two labs fined in Chile for distributing defective contraceptive pills and causing more than 100 unwanted pregnancies

Chilean authorities have sanctioned two laboratories for producing defective contraceptive pills which have been distributed to public hospitals and have been linked to more than a hundred unwanted pregnancies.

More specifically, the Institute of Public Health (ISP) it sanctioned Laboratorios Silesia SA and Andrómaco SA with a joint fine of 66 million Chilean pesos (approximately 92,000 USD).

According to the ISP, it was decided to present the fines to the laboratories for “their responsibilities in distribution and manufacture” pills that had “quality issues”.

The case became publicly relevant after 111 women will file a complaint after becoming pregnant despite being on contraceptive treatment with your pills.

Valentina’s case

Valentina Donoso is one of those affected. “One day, my medical center called me to tell me that there were lots in bad condition, but my pills did not fit in these boxes and I was calm,” he explained.

The young woman had been on family planning treatment for three months, administered in a public hospital in Chile. However, over the days, he confirmed his suspicions. Pharmacological neglect had truncated his life plans: to be able to stabilize his work as a stylist and devote himself to the care of his second daughter, aged three, who has health problems.

Between March and September 2020, the FAI issued an alert because eight sets of six birth control pills were defective and they had been or were in the process of being distributed. In view of this, the entity suspended their distribution and ordered their withdrawal from the market.

However, after this order from the agency, a few days later, another resolution was issued, approving the distribution of Anulette CD blisters (from the Silesian laboratory), which were in health facilities, alluding to the fact that the defects were visually detectable. By a statement, the institution said that once a pharmaceutical product enters the registry, “it is the responsibility of the registry owner and his technical managers to certify that it is prepared, produced and imported. according to specifications. “

Search for justice

The human rights organization Corporación Miles was the first to report these cases in August of last year and She is unhappy with the fines and the little help victims have received in this regard.

With the feminist platform Women’s Link Worldwide, the company brought the case to the United Nations (UN) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to continue to seek justice and help affected women.

In a post on Twitter, the Miles Corporation said that the fine is for the laboratories, but “it is not direct money to the victims”. Therefore, the organization announced that it would continue to seek instances to demand “compensation for them”.

Especially many affected women are said to have low incomes and have been denied the opportunity to have an abortion, due to the fact that none of the three grounds for voluntary termination of pregnancy in Chile were met: risk to the mother’s life, fetal infeasibility or rape.

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