Socio-Political Issues of Medical Abortion Worldwide
The use of the drug mifepristone has been surrounded by so
great a controversy that even in other countries the use of the pill has been
restricted and banned. Likewise, in 1996, the use of mifepristone in Australia
was declared illegal. Yet in 2005 a Private Member's Bill was submitted to the
Australian Senate to lift the ban and to consider transferring the power of
approval to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This move has caused
tremendous upheaval in the Australian media and politicians in the region.
In 2006, this bill passed the approval of the Senate thereby
making the drug legal in Australia. In neighboring New Zealand, a group of
doctors there founded Istar, a drug importation firm, making request for the
New Zealand pharmaceutical regulatory agency Medsafe to approve the sale of the
drug. However, after a court proceeding rejected the appeal from Right to Life
New Zealand, the use of the abortion pill was then permitted.
In Israel, the abortion pill was approved in 1999. In Asia,
various clinical trials were done in China in 1985, and the country was the
first in the world to have approved the use of mifepristone. Moreover, the
Chinese tried to acquire the formula from creator RousselUclaf, but refused the
sell-out, forcing authorities for its own mass production.
Medical abortion with the use of mifepristone in 2000 has
significantly increased as compared to surgical abortion and the rate of
medical abortions was ranging from 30% to 70% in most cities, but is totally
non-existent in rural areas.
Consequently, a report intensified in Beijing in the year
2000 from the United States Embassy that the abortion pill had been widely used
in most Chinese cities for two years, and that a black market proliferated in
the area where many Chinese women starting to purchase it illegally
over-the-counter for only 15 US dollars, which made the Chinese authorities to
fret so much on the medical complications that it may bring without support and
supervision from medical practitioners.
In India the use of mifepristone as an abortion drug was
approved in 2002, but only under medical supervision, due to the adverse
reactions such as excessive bleeding, which may occur during administration.
There are certain criminal liabilities in the country in buying and selling it
on the black-market or even over the counter.
That's why this so-called abortion pill has been in
restricted use as they have greatly affected many world societies. However, in
nations that approve such drug, it has been recommended in clinics to introduce
a safer way of abortion. However, given these issues, there's more than what
medical practitioners say.
The Women's Center is most advanced institution that
provides abortion procedures in a supportive and comfortable environment they
supply the Mifepristone abortion pill for those
considering an abortion using prescription drugs. For more information, visit
this resource: (http://www.womenscenter.com/medical_chemical_abortion.html).
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