By Gudrun Schultz
CANBERRA, Australia, February 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Australia’s protection against the deadly abortion drug RU-486 came to an end yesterday, as the House of Representatives voted to remove control of the drug from Health Minister Tony Abbott.
For the past ten years, Australia’s health minister has held veto power over the drug. Mr. Abbott, a Roman Catholic strongly opposed to abortion, has kept it out of the country. A private member’s bill to strip him of that control was raised in the house, and voted in by the Senate almost two weeks ago.
Control of the drug will now pass to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). It has been suggested that chemical abortions will begin in Australia as early as next year.
The controversial drug RU-486, or Mifepristone, has been linked to the deaths of at least ten women in Europe and the United States, as well as multiple cases of severe side effects requiring blood transfusions and surgery. Opponents of the drug say it was never properly tested for safety before it came on the market in France in 1988.
Despite this, abortion advocates are celebrating yesterday’s vote as a victory for women to have “safe terminations.” The four female senators who sponsored the bill have said this is only the beginning of their efforts to address women’s reproductive health issues.
Opposition to abortion among the general public is growing in Australia. A recent poll showed 87% of the general population would like to see a reduction in the number of abortions performed in the country. Australia has one of the highest abortion rates in the world—almost one quarter of all Australian pregnancies end in abortion.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Australian Senate Votes in Favor of Dangerous Abortifacient Drug RU486
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/feb/06020904.html