Australia Lawmaker Admits After Vote That Abortion Drug is Dangerous

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 16, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Australia Lawmaker Admits After Vote That Abortion Drug is Dangerous Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 16, 2006

Canberra, Australia (LifeNews.com) — While lawmakers in the Australian parliament debated her bill that has paved the way for legalizing the RU 486 abortion drug, MP Lyn Allison shrugged off concerns that the pills are dangerous and worries about more women dying. Now she admits the drug is unsafe and should only be used on consultation with a physician.

Speaking with the Australian newspaper after the vote, Allison admitted some women could die after using the RU 486 drugs. She also indicated the drug could have problematic side effects.

Allison also told the newspaper that, contrary to a British survey released yesterday claiming women can use the drugs at home by themselves, the abortion pills should only be used "under medical supervision."

Allison admitted, "I can’t say it’s going to be 100 percent certain to be safe."

"A whole lot of things about women’s reproductive health are very dangerous, in fact," she added.

Despite her admission that the drug is dangerous, other lawmakers after the vote continued to claim it has not hurt women.

Liberal senator Judith Troeth claimed the death rate was low despite eight women having died from using the drug and over 850 injured from it in the United States alone. She also claimed the abortion drug was not responsible for the deaths, even though autopsy results show it clearly caused bacterial infections that have killed four women in California.

The abortion drug is expected to be on sale within a matter of months as the Therapeutic Goods Administration will likely sign off on legalizing it.