THE Australian Catholic Students Association (ACSA) has voiced its opposition to the availability of abortion drug RU486 at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne.
Eighteen months after a conscience vote in Federal Parliament removed the health minister’s right to veto the drug and transferred the power of approval to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the hospital has become the first in the country to be given permission to use RU486 to carry out medical abortions.
“RU-486 is a deadly and dangerous cocktail that not only kills the unborn child but puts the lives of women at risk,” ACSA president Camillus O’Kane said.
“In 2006 we strongly opposed Federal Parliament’s approval of RU486 and decision to place responsibility for administration of the deadly cocktail into the hands of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.”
ACSA secretary Ruth Russell said RU486 had been licensed for use in many countries including United States, Canada, England, China and France.
“Studies in the United States have reported women dying within days of taking the pill, whilst others have had ectopic pregnancies, experienced blood loss requiring transfusions and encountered serious bacterial infections,” Ms Russell said.
