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NORWAY, January 14, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The “contraceptive” patch, touted as a new measure to fight Norway’s soaring teen abortion rate, made its debut there yesterday. Norwegian teens have a 2-3 times higher abortion rate than other European countries such as Finland and Italy. The patch, named Evra, is produced by Janssen-Cilag, and claims to be the “latest weapon in the fight against unwanted pregnancy,” newspaper Dagbladet reports. 

The patch, expected for sale soon in Canada, releases a steady flow of hormones directly into the bloodstream. It was approved by Health Canada despite the fact that there could be tremendous dangers to women. The patch is to be worn for a week long period, three weeks out of four.

Using the same chemicals as the birth control pill, the patch can allow ‘breakthrough’ ovulation and fertilization which then results in abortion as the chemicals also weaken the lining of the uterus. American Life League President Judie Brown, speaking about the patch’s abortifacient effect, said “That’s abortion. It kills a living human being in his earliest stages of development.” 

While abortion advocates claim it is safe, convenient and effective, others have their doubts. As noted in CLC National News, Dr. John Shea, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and a medical advisor to CLC, said it “causes all the usual, dreadful effects that the (oral) pill does – perhaps more so, because it is taken at a consistent pace.” Indeed, research shows a number of “potentially serious side-effects,” including blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. Although the contraceptive’s manufacturer won’t admit it, there is also the increased risk of breast cancer. Chris Kahlenborn, author of The Breast Cancer Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill, pointed to evidence linking oral contraceptives and breast cancer. The patch uses the same ingredients, synthetic progestin and estrogen.

Read the LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Time Magazine Names Abortifacient as One of Year’s Coolest Inventions