WONAAC
women’s national abortion action campaign
27 November 2009 MEDIA RELEASE
Ryall Must Counter Abortion Pill Scare Tactics
The Minister of Health needs to call a halt to anti-abortion fear-mongering by publicly assuring women that medical
abortions using the abortion pill are safe, Di Cleary of the Women’s National Abortion Action Campaign said today.
Anti-abortion groups are up to their old tricks, using dishonesty and scare tactics to try to restrict New Zealand
women’s access to abortion services, Ms. Cleary said.
“The abortion pill (Mifegyne or RU486) has been safely used in New Zealand since 2002 and is available in eight
facilities, so it is nothing new,” Ms. Cleary said. “What’s new is Family Planning’s effort to improve access to early
medical abortions.”
She said that if the right-to-lifers were genuinely worried about risks and side effects, they should be asking the
minister to have his department re-evaluate the drug’s safety – along with that of much more dangerous medications, like
Viagra and paracetamol.
“Of course, we haven’t seen those kinds of campaigns from the anti-abortion enthusiasts,” she said. “Sadly, nor has Tony
Ryall, as Health Minister, stepped up to put a stop to the deceit by assuring women that early medical abortions are
safe.
A useful backgrounder on the abortion pill in New Zealand is at:
http://www.alranz.org/ALRANZpamphletmedicalabortion.htm
ENDS