THE Department of Public Health and the Customs Services Division say the estimated 200 lbs. of imported medical supplies intercepted at the seaport violated Public Law 11-40.
Dr. Richard Brostrom, medical director of the Division of Public Health, yesterday said any illegal medicine that enters the CNMI will be destroyed.
Brostrom said most of the medications had labels not written in English, no information of proper usage, side effects, dosages, and any other standard information.
But the medicine had not been found to be directly used for illegal abortion, he added.
However, home pregnancy test kits not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had also been found.
“They are in violation of the Pure Food and Drug Act so they should be destroyed,” said Brostrom.
The medical supplies that originated from Hong Kong were brought by Customs to Public Health for laboratory confirmation, specifically to determine their usage and purpose.
“We thoroughly looked through them and we found no medication and equipment that could be used for performing abortion,” said Brostrom.
Among these medical supplies were intravenous antibiotics and other medications that Public Health could not identify due to their labeling. Other seized items included pills, tablets, ointments, vials with liquid inside and syringes.
These came from two separate shipments in February and were intercepted through the aide of the newly commissioned mobile x-ray system.
They were found stuffed inside some 50 shoes, 10 pressure cookers and bags consigned to two businessmen.
