Craig Young, ALRANZ National Research Officer, asked what evidence Christian Heritage Party "health" spokesperson Gael Donoghue had for her claims about "nasty side-effects" of RU486.

"It is true that some women will experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In fact, that sounds rather like pregnancy, although I suspect that the CHP would not call those responses nasty side-effects in that context."

Mr.Young added that RU486 would be distributed within New Zealand within a supervised clinical setting because the importers were concerned about the issue of contraindications: "Medical abortion may not be appropriate for women who have a medical history of cardiovascular problems. And why does the CHP take exception to medical supervision of medical procedures?"

He noted that Ms.Donoghue was incorrect about the corporate supplier of RU486 as well: "Hoechst ceded rights to Excelgyn, a nonprofit company. However, Excelgyn now distributes RU486 to most Western European nations that either use, or have licensed, RU486, as well as Israel."

He concluded: "I am disgusted at the use of the word "holocaust" to describe a medical procedure. That usage trivialises the ordeal of Jews, Gypsies, gay men and other victims of Nazi Germany and its barbarity. The Nazis banned abortion and forced involuntary sterilisation on Jewish and Polish women."

Contact: Craig Young ALRANZ National Research Officer ph 06 3569099 ext 7750 contact email: lavendarmenace@yahoo.com

Dr.Margaret Sparrow ALRANZ National President PO Box 28 008 Wellington

===== Craig Young (noun): Doctoral candidate, Massey University School of Sociology and Women's Studies.

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