UPJOHN International Inc, a drug company, is marketing a long term contraceptive drug that has dire implications for women's health.
The drug, Depo Provera, is injected and is effective for up to six months at a time.
Among its recorded effects are:
*Disruption of the menstrual cycle resulting in bleeding and spotting;
*Nausea, dizziness, aches, chills, change in skin pigmentation, weight done, essening or hodo and diminished orgasm. doctors have dismissed all these as "subjective symptoms'; *DP has been shown to lead to cervical cancer and to cause breast tumours in beagles;
side doctor expressed tears that DP use may cause deformed babies. heavy The return of fertility to women taking this drug is known to be head- "unpredictable', taking as long as two years. loss, Despite all this the drug has been approved for use in 76 countries almost all of them in the Third World.
It is also being country and the USA, but more selectively.
Here and in has described as those "irresponsible' vated, for contraceptive inadequate. In the US, at a clients used in this women when they are the US the rubella vaccinations given to arC who are language 'unmotiwhom other In East London, methods are lecturer in 20 percent of Asian own language possible side drug.
Women in trials of the drug.
Depo this doesn't black or working class.
basis of throughout the light of this drug's use.
campaigns on education, even clearer.
the imperialist Conference January in Lion is opportunity for depended on indepentake it each day. Charity Clinic in Florida where Latin DP is prescribed, the women described irresponsibic, uncaucalcu and often poverty-stricken. tinent In Britain, in Rochdale, DP is automatically given to Asian this too.
given - LO SEOD them becoming pregnant. The barrier makes In formed consent a mockery.
La senior the land.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology thought that only women were properly informed in their about the effects
America WIG nave
dangerous illegal abortions are testimony to this. The fact that women in the Indian subconalC prepared be injected with DP at all shows But economic necessity may demand a high birth rate from that the individual point of view.
, tarming needs as many hands as possible to work The lack of welfare facilities may mean that children are the only safeguard for old age. And the high infant mortality in high birth rate is needed to discussion about whether the drug has met a woman's needs satisfactorily in one and a half minutes!
The use of Depo Provera illustrates the crucial relevance of imperialism and racism to women's lives. We must ensure Britain confront them head on.
The meeting last Sunday attended by women Women Against Racism Fascism, East London men's Health Group, Spare Rib and many individual women, agreed on various campaigning
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women's control?
Brixton Black Women's group. Third World women's groups.