In a letter sent to Dr G N Singh, the drugs controller general of India, the professor of pharmacy at the Birla Institute of Technology in Ranchi and former chairman of the Hospital Pharmacists Association, Dr Roop Narayan Gupta,  wanted him to ban the medical device, Power Morcellator,  used in hysterectomy or uterus removal as studies show that its use leads to dissemination of malignant tissue.

Dr Gupta’s letter mentions that there is crystal clear evidence in research studies which reveal that this surgery tool can spread hidden uterus cancer. Considering the study report, the use of the device should be banned in India or restricted with immediate effect.
 
According to him, the Federal Agency in the US is investigating the case of spread of cancer by the use of this device. A list of 386 cancer related cases has been submitted alone in the US. In India, he argues that, there is no reporting system on such happening.  Though the manufacturer of the device (J&J) has withdrawn this tool from the market in July last year, same type of device from other morcellator manufacturers is on sale in the market today.

“The Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDA) in US restricted its use and warned about cancer risk. In the wake of it, several hospitals there have curtailed its use. But in India, the device is used in surgery in several cases. Therefore, the DCGI has been urged to consider a ban on the use of this device in our country”, he said.

A study report reveals that Power Morcellators, the drill-like surgical tools, used to shred and remove tissue in surgeries such as hysterectomies, fibroid removal and other gynecological operations, faced scrutiny in 2013 when several women in US suffered uterine cancer after routine surgeries performed with the devices.