OTTAWA, April 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Canadian Physicians for Life (CPL) is asking, “Is Health Canada using the media to push a political agenda?” Several media outlets are reporting that effective this month, Health Canada will allow the abortifacient hormonal drug, commonly known as the Morning After Pill, to be dispensed without a doctor’s prescription or oversight. But for that to happen, an amendment must be made to the Food and Drug Regulations, removing the drug, Levonorgestrel, from the list of prescription-only drugs. Health Canada, however, when questioned on the matter by CPL would not confirm the plan.
Physicians for Life made a submission to Health Canada, objecting to the proposed amendment on the grounds that the health risks to women had not been adequately assessed and that important counseling which should accompany prescription of MAP would likely not take place.
Health Canada, despite its reticence with CPL, told the Canadian Medical Association Journal that what it calls ‘emergency contraception’ would be available in Canada without a doctor’s prescription in early April.
CPL president, Dr. Will Johnston, said, “Why did Health Canada give a specific time-frame to CMAJ if the decision is still up in the air?” asked Dr. Johnston. “Is this a medical de-listing or a political de-listing of the controlled substance?”
Numerous studies have shown that MAP’s effect is to cause an early-term abortion by making the lining of the uterine wall inhospitable to the newly formed embryo.
Dr. Johnston said. “A woman requesting MAP must be told that this drug may destroy a newly conceived human being – a human embryo – so that she can make an informed decision. How easy is it for a pharmacist to give her this critical information with shoppers milling about?”
A Swedish study found that young women requesting “emergency contraception” are at higher risk for future unintended pregnancies. Nine out of 10 of these unintended pregnancies ended in abortion.
Dr. Johnston concluded by asking, “If a request for MAP is a warning signal that a future abortion is more likely to occur, do we not have a duty to heed that warning in an effort to avert that outcome? What are Health Canada’s plans for addressing this problem if the physician is taken out of the equation?”
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Abortion-Causing Morning After Pill Use Increases 100% in BC