UPDATED 2.24pm A pregnancy test pill linked to birth defects in Britain in the 1960s and 70s was once sold in New Zealand.

Damning evidence in the UK suggests Primodos hormone tablets, given to more than a million British women, may have caused thousands of severe birth defects and life-threatening abnormalities.

A document given to Newstalk ZB suggests the New Zealand Ministry of Health asked German drug company Schering to immediately stop selling and exporting the drug to New Zealand in 1975.

The ban took immediate effect on the 9th of July that year.

SEE ALSO: Rachel Smalley: UK covered up impact of pregnancy drug linked to birth defects

Pioneering reproductive rights advocate Dame Margaret Sparrow said the product was definitely sold in New Zealand.

Dame Margaret, who worked in family planning for decades says she never prescribed the drug herself, but donated some of the product to Te Papa several years ago.

"I don't really remember how much it was used but I certainly don't remember using it myself."

Marie Lyon is chairwoman of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests. She told Rachel Smalley the drug has likely wrought havoc across the globe.

"There have been cases throughout the world. I know that it was sold in New Zealand, and I do know that the New Zealand health authority forced the drug company to actually withdraw the drug in 1975."

• Rachel Smalley: UK covered up impact of pregnancy drug linked to birth defects

Lyon said the product is highly damaging.

"I hadn't any idea that they were actually 40 times the strength of an oral contraceptive. I was absolutely horrified."

Ms Lyon was given Primodos when she was pregnant 47 years ago. Her daughter's arm didn't form from below the elbow.

The reporter who broke the story thinks there are problems worldwide.

Sky News investigations reporter Jason Farrell said Primodos was used in India and the United States.

And he thinks Australia and New Zealand too.

"In terms of numbers elsewhere, I think it was used widely, perhaps often under different names," he told Rachel Smalley. "There were different manufacturers who made hormone pregnancy tests as well."

Labour is calling for immediate action from the Government, with their health spokesman David Clark saying New Zealanders need assurances.

"The government needs to set up a register and a contact number for women who may believe that they're affected. There's mounting evidence that it has caused life threatening deformities and severe defects in children."

Medsafe manager Chris James said any indications a medicine may have caused serious adverse effects are treated extremely seriously by both the Ministry of Health and Medsafe.

"As the current reports relate to a period more than 50 years ago, the Ministry is urgently working through its archival files to establish the specifics of use for Primodos in this country, if any.

Mr James said Medsafe has established that in May 1975 the then Department of Health issued a clinical services letter advising that it was withdrawing systemic hormonal testing preparations for pregnancy testing from the New Zealand market.

"We are continuing to seek further information relating specifically to Primodos and searching for any files which may be held by the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) in Dunedin.

"CARM has been operating since 1965 so if adverse reports relating to a product such as Primodos had been received, we would expect them to be held there.

"We'll provide updated additional information as soon as it's available and would advise any members of the public who may have specific concerns about Primodos to contact Healthline or email the Ministry on [email protected] .

Medsafe has a memorandum of understanding with the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom and will receive any relevant information from its review as it becomes available.

LISTEN ABOVE AS MARIE LYON AND SKY NEWS' JASON FARRELL SPEAK WITH RACHEL SMALLEY