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 x452 |
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Debate is about abortion: Joyce
The Age
February 9, 2006 - 10:29AM
The debate over whether the health minister retains control of RU486 is an argument about abortion, high-profile Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce says.
Senate members today will take a conscience vote on a private members bill seeking to hand power over access to the abortion pill RU486 from Health Minister Tony Abbott to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Senator Joyce last night told the senate he would be guided by his christian faith and voting against the bill.
He today defended his comments, saying the debate was about abortion not over who should control access to drugs.
"I think if people are honest it is about abortion," he told reporters.
"I think if people are honest their motivations are primarily driven either by a pro-life position or a pro-abortion position.
"I've put my cards up front, I've got a pro-life position."
Australian Democrats Senator Lyn Allison said she decided to tell the Senate last night that she had had an abortion to show she understood how it affected women.
"I wanted women to feel comfortable about their situation ...," she said.
"I also wanted to demonstrate, I guess, the way in which my experience led me to push (to have) RU486 available to women because I know what it's like to go through it."
She said it was disappointing that many of the vocal opponents to the bill were men who did not understand the complex reasons why women chose abortion.
"I think this is the problem. They do not understand women," she told reporters.
"They do not understand the complexity, the reasons - compelling reasons - why women need terminations from time to time," she said.
"They tend to see things in very black and white terms."
Senator Allison said it was a shame many of the pro-life senators against the bill did not show any compassion towards women who had had abortions.
"I also find it extraordinary that those who are lacking in such compassion on this issue also claim to be Christian and claim to hold values that I would (have) thought included tolerance and compassion and understanding. But they don't," she said.
However, Senator Joyce said Senator's Allison's comment that many men did not understand the reasons women had abortions was sexist.
"In think that's awfully simplistic and also it's sexist," he told reporters.
"Because you're a man you don't understand a position of life is something I disagree with."
- AAP
Another good example of people who have absolutely no clue about this issue (Abbott, Joyce) trying to decide what's best.
Quoted Text
"I think if people are honest their motivations are primarily driven either by a pro-life position or a pro-abortion position."
How about those in the middle who are both pro-life and "pro-choice", not "pro-abortion". These arseholes really like to see everything in black and white. At the end of the day the anti-abortionists must realise that those that are pro-choice also want to see (much) lower abortion rates. |
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| The_Phantom |
| February 10, 2006, 1:26pm |
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I am a long-standing catholic, and I know the church is dead set against the drug, but as you correctly point out, it is not black and white.
My only concern, has always been, what about when a girl is raped and gets pregnant. I don't know about you, and I am not a woman, but if I was, I wouldn't want to give birth to a rapists baby. In those sorts of situations, there is a need for a drug like this (if it's the best way of dealing with it with the least side effects of course).
I guess the church and others are worried about if it is released and readily available, that it will lead to girls going out and having sex with the idea that it doesn't matter if she gets pregnant because, take a pill and it goes away.
Life is sacred, and it is a miracle when a baby is produced, and it shouldn't be up to us to play God and decide if it should live or die, but we don't live in a perfect world. There are circumstances where a girl / lady is not in a position to become a mother, and wouldn't be in the best interests of the child. Each case needs to be treated on its merits, and a drug such as RU486 should not be seen as an easy way out.
Then you have lunatics like that Dr Patel - Dr Death. Imagine what someone like that could do. If there weren't irresponsible people on this earth, then we could have whatever drugs etc around and still feel safe.
It's unfortunate that we have to leave important decisions such as this to the idiot politicians, but it was interesting how the women voted. Lucky there are quite a few women in parliament now, not a boys club like it used to be. Ultimately it will affect women more than men, so I'll live with their decision! |
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| x452 |
| February 10, 2006, 2:46pm |
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I wish more Catholics saw this from your point of view Phantom.
Quoted Text
I guess the church and others are worried about if it is released and readily available, that it will lead to girls going out and having sex with the idea that it doesn't matter if she gets pregnant because, take a pill and it goes away.
I think this is the propaganda the Church would like us to believe, that it's as simple as taking a pill and it all goes away. I think we know it's much more complex than that. I'm not sure what's happening in schools nowadays, but if the Government really wants to tackle this issue they could ensure schools educate young boys and girls about abortion, the RU486 pill, show a video of an abortion, promote independant thinking (to fight peer pressure) and suggest contraception. I think education is the key .. |
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| BSquared |
| February 10, 2006, 4:47pm |
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This Bill is not about whether or not the pill should be made available...it is about getting rid of this anomoly in our system where a politician is making this kind of decision. No politician should be making a decision abouot whether or not any drug should be accessible to Australians. Politicians are all about the short term, they're about responding to the group of lobbyists that shout loudest or throw the most money...politicians are rarely interested in the long term benefit (or danger) of anything.
I'm not so sure that the TGA is that great an organisation but I have more faith in the TGA getting this decision right (ie making a decision based on a solid understanding of the medical and ethical issues involved and based on a good knowledge of all the available information that we have today) than I do a bloody politician having anything to do with it.
We really do need to stop giving our politicians and governments any more power than they already have over every aspect of our lives and this is as good a place as any start.
As for the pros and cons of abortion...I've learned my lesson...not going there. |
| Cheers, BSquared
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| MeanDean |
| February 11, 2006, 10:26am |
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The Bill might be about that, and I agree with your take on it, but the debate now also partly becomes (and as intended by the... liar) abortion. It really pisses me off that the guy uses this to bring it into the spotlight. I'm convinced that it if it wasn't the primary purpose then it was one hell of a perk for him. If he had admitted that it was part of his ideology involved I wouldn't care. I'm not liking legalised abortion and if we all voted on the issue I'd vote against it, but it's just plain silly to be arguing about just how to go about abortion when it already is legal. I just don't beleive that was his intention. Slime ball should have told it straight. The same Bill would be put forth and the same resulting debates would have been acheived. If someone's going to take a stand by overstepping what's appropriat for them in their role then they should very well do it rather than trying some weak a** slight of hand bullshit. It was in fact a dumb political move not to in my opinion and I think he's lost more public trust than he would have being straightforward. |
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| Gizmo |
| February 11, 2006, 11:58am |
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I thought the 'joke of the week' was when Howard was quoted as saying such decisions should be in the hands of politicians as they are accountable to the public. . WHAT!!. . he could be gone at the next election and the health system would need a complete re-jig because as the 'pollies' go . . so would their accountability. 
The final decision and accountability for abortion will rest with the people who do it. . they may even die as a consequence. . just don't let them sue the taxpayers for compensation when it all goes wrong. |
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| BSquared |
| February 11, 2006, 1:09pm |
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Quoted from The_Phantom
My only concern, has always been, what about when a girl is raped and gets pregnant.
When I brought up this argument with my Religion teacher back when I was in Catholic school her answer was "Well less than 1% of rapes end in pregnancy" and I said "OK...but what if that less than 1% happens to be me...should I be forced to give birth to a rapists' child?" to which the answer was getting hauled out of class and a 4-day suspension in the middle of my matriculation year. That was the beginning of the end of my considering myself a Catholic. |
| Cheers, BSquared
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| x452 |
| February 15, 2006, 5:09pm |
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Quoted Text
Treasurer, PM divide on abortion pillThe Age ( http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/02/15/1139890785885.html) February 15, 2006 - 3:15PM Treasurer Peter Costello has told of how he personally faced the issue of abortion, as he backed moves to strip Health Minister Tony Abbott of his control over abortion drug RU486. MPs have resumed debate in the lower house on a private members' bill that will hand Mr Abbott's current power of approval over the contentious drug to medical experts at the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). While declaring his support for the bill, Mr Costello spoke of how he was faced with the option of abortion 18 years ago when his wife Tanya, who was pregnant at the time, lay unconscious in hospital. "I think it is common knowledge that when my wife Tanya was pregnant and unconscious in hospital, some 18 years ago, I was faced with this terrible situation," he told parliament. "I was advised by expert medical opinion that the pregnancy was complicating the medication she would need to survive - she was unconscious. 'Awful choice'"I was faced with the choice, an awful choice. But the choice I made was to continue both the treatment and the pregnancy. "By the grace of God, both survived. "I have no doubt that the law should not have prevented such a choice - that the law should allow a choice, whether physical or mental health of the woman is at risk." Mr Costello said he backed moves for the TGA to be handed control over the drug. "I will be supporting this bill," he said. "But making it clear that the sovereignty of parliament is such that at any stage if the registration or use (of RU486) should go outside the understandings that we've been given, parliament as sovereign has the right to intervene both as to the procedure and matters following from it. "In those circumstances, I believe the matter can go to the therapeutic goods agency and I will support the bill as it stands." PM's hintsMr Costello's stand contrasts with the view of Prime Minister John Howard, who has hinted he will be voting against the bill. "I am a great believer in the principle of parliamentary sovereignty and in keeping parliamentary officials accountable and of giving them the capacity to make the decisions for which they are held accountable," Mr Costello said. "But I believe this is what we are doing here as a sovereign parliament, we are taking the decision here and now in a way for which we are accountable for a procedure that will apply to an application to register RU486 if one should be made. "The fact that the parliament through legislation delegates a decision does not lessen its power or its accountability, provided that the parliament retains the right to withdraw that delegation or to overturn the decision of the delegate." He also said his support for the bill was not a reflection on Mr Abbott's capacity as health minister. "What we should be doing is thinking of a process that will have integrity, under ministers of different views, and inevitably, under ministers of different parties," Mr Costello said. "The minister for health, the current minister, is a dear friend of mine. "I do not consider the amendments of this bill to in any way represent a rebuff to him or his competence, any more than the decision to give the interest-rate setting function to the Reserve Bank of Australia was a rebuff to my ministerial capacity." The treasurer said it must be remembered that the bill was not about the legality or morality of abortion, but even so, many could not help but relate their own personal stories to the debate. "Our personal experiences colour our outlook on this most personal of issues," Mr Costello said. He said despite his decision to support the bill, his views on abortion remained the same - termination should be the last resort. - AAP
I always wondered how this man could have no humanity whatsoever when his brother has so much. Maybe, just maybe, he might be starting to show his human side .. |
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| The_Phantom |
| February 16, 2006, 4:16pm |
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Quoted from BSquared
When I brought up this argument with my Religion teacher back when I was in Catholic school her answer was "Well less than 1% of rapes end in pregnancy" and I said "OK...but what if that less than 1% happens to be me...should I be forced to give birth to a rapists' child?" to which the answer was getting hauled out of class and a 4-day suspension in the middle of my matriculation year.
That was the beginning of the end of my considering myself a Catholic.
Sounds about right. You will still find that teachers will tell you what they are told to tell you. Same with priests. You won't find them saying anything other than what has been dictated to them by the Pope / Archbishop etc. These days though, there are more people who may follow a particular religion but don't necessarily agree with everything they are told. There's a good chance that these days if you had the same argument with your religion teacher, that they might spout the official line at first, but on the side, say that they are not averse to the other side of the argument either. That's why church attendances are down too. The Catholic church jut doesn't keep up with the times. You might still cop a suspension though! Bit rough I think. You are entitled to your opinion. May the Force be with you BSquared. |
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| BSquared |
| February 16, 2006, 9:11pm |
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Quoted from The_Phantom
May the Force be with you BSquared.
 - I may be a lapsed Catholic but I didn't become a Jedi  |
| Cheers, BSquared
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| The_Phantom |
| February 17, 2006, 8:39am |
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! How about "Live long and prosper". May be a Vulcan greeting, but you don't have to be in a club to receive it! Having read of your experiences, I mistakenly felt that the Force was in you. The world can always use new good Jedi you know. Not really on the topic is it, but I think people also felt that the vote wasn't that the pill should be put on the shelf - initially not, but it is widely expected that now the power has been taken away from the Health Minister, that it will be available within the next 12 months. That's the power of Democracy I suppose. |
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| SuziH |
| February 17, 2006, 8:43am |
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Can anyone tell me, is this the Tablet/pill they used to call 'the morning after' pill?
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| Gizmo |
| February 17, 2006, 11:15am |
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Quoted from SuziH
Can anyone tell me, is this the Tablet/pill they used to call 'the morning after' pill?
Yes it is. .  |
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| x452 |
| February 18, 2006, 9:46am |
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Quoted from SuziH
Can anyone tell me, is this the Tablet/pill they used to call 'the morning after' pill?
Quoted from Gizmo
Yes it is. .
NO! RU486 is NOT the morning after pill. They are two very different drugs. The Catholic Church would like you to believe they are one and the same to muddy the debate. They did this purposely to get support against the drug. RU486 will never be available over the counter, it was never even part of the debate. |
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| SuziH |
| February 18, 2006, 12:04pm |
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Thank you for the replies. I wasn't sure. I couldn't understand why the debate if there already was a pill sold over the counter specifically for the purpose of miscarrying. That clears it up a little for me. Cheers |
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| BSquared |
| February 18, 2006, 5:45pm |
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The morning after pill is basically a heavy dose of contraception (ie birth control pill)... to be taken within 3 days of intercourse ...you don't know if you're pregnant you just think it's a possibility ....ie for situations where you had sex without any contraception (including the pill) and are worried that you might have gotten pregnant and you don't want to be pregnant...what it does is prevent conception from occuring (like all contraception pills do)...this pill has many uses and, FYI, is a standard offering in most instances for women who have been raped.
RU 486 is used in situations where you know you are pregnant (ie conception has taken place) and you want an abortion and don't want or don't have access to surgery - it is another option other than surgical abortion - x452 is right it has never been intended to make it available over the counter.
I'm still not gonna get into the rights and wrongs of abortion but I just wanted to clear up any misunderstandings about the two kinds of drug...they are a very different thing. I realise that some religions have an issue with both contraception and abortion but they are two different things none-the-less.
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| Gizmo |
| February 18, 2006, 11:41pm |
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Is 'The Morning After' pill available over the counter? . . and to many people. . the difference between the two is so marginal anyway . . one is taken when there may be doubt about ones condition . . (therefore easing a conscience issue). . and the other is dead cert eliminating a pregnancy . . (which BTW is done after the fact). . so there is very little difference in the service each offers. . . only the users conscience knows. Just a thought. . how do they plan to prevent somebody using this pill in an advanced pregnancy and causing a huge health issue that will cause the user to end up in hospital (at taxpayer expense) when it all goes wrong. ? |
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| SuziH |
| February 19, 2006, 9:45am |
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Years ago, like almost 30 yrs ago, my little sister-in-law at the time asked me for some of my contaceptive pills (I gave her between 5 and 10) she said it was to bring on a miscarraige as she thought she was pregnant. I didn't know about the fact you could take the 'pill' in that manner. A couple of years later I accompanied her to a capital city to have an abortion. This was all before she turned 18. She made her own choices and was very well informed. I however was more naive even though I had already had my first child when she had the abortion. A friend of mine has told me the RU486 abortion pill has been the cause of deaths in some women who take it. Okay... done my research and here is what I found out: Many websites can be found on the subject. Here are my picks, http://www.libertywomenshealth.com/services.php?id=11http://drdrew.com/article.asp?id=1171http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/2000/11-06-2000/vo16no23_ru486.htmhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8620380/Reading the information on these websites has given me a lot of important and relavent information. |
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| BSquared |
| February 19, 2006, 11:01am |
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Quoted from Gizmo
Is 'The Morning After' pill available over the counter? . . and to many people. . the difference between the two is so marginal anyway . . one is taken when there may be doubt about ones condition . . (therefore easing a conscience issue). . and the other is dead cert eliminating a pregnancy . . (which BTW is done after the fact). . so there is very little difference in the service each offers. . . only the users conscience knows. [/color]
Yes it is available over the counter generally, but depends on where you live as to what restrictions (as to age/questions asked by pharmicists etc). It was developed in part due to the fact that lots of women and young girls were doing what Suzi talked about her sister doing...the Morning After Pill is a better way of managing appropriate dosage than taking a handfull of normal contraceptive pills (due the wide variety of dosage issues that can arise). I'm not getting into the moral debate on abortion.
Quoted from Gizmo
Just a thought. . how do they plan to prevent somebody using this pill in an advanced pregnancy and causing a huge health issue that will cause the user to end up in hospital (at taxpayer expense) when it all goes wrong. ?
I've no idea who "they" are in your question. But I will say that no one can prevent anyone else from doing something they really want to do. If the safer methods weren't available and someone really wanted to end their pregnancy during late term that person would find a way to do it. I've personally seen such examples as a woman sitting in a nearly boiling hot spa for 24 hours, having someone hit a woman in the stomach repeatedly with a phone book and I won't bother listing the various potions and concotians that people take in an effort to cause late term abortions. These cases will cost you (the taxpayer) more than a medically managed abortion ever could. Did I mention I'm not getting into the moral debate.
Quoted from SuziH
A friend of mine has told me the RU486 abortion pill has been the cause of deaths in some women who take it.
Yep. Some women die as a result of surgical abortion too. People also die having their wisdom teeth out and I know someone who died falling off a ladder and more people die driving their cars each and every day than have ever died as a result of taking RU486 in the 16 years it has been available in Europe and the rest of the world. I'm really not getting into the moral debate here...all I am saying that the argument "this has killed people" doesn't really help the debate along...there is probably no pill, drug, piece of technology that hasn't killed someone somewhere either by accident, misuse or deliberate mistreatment. I'm sure that somewhere someone was killed by a toaster at some point...we gonna ban toast? |
| Cheers, BSquared
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| Gizmo |
| February 19, 2006, 11:16am |
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It now seems the 'they' I was talking about is the TGA. . (not a politician). .who will decide how it will be administered.
Still frightening to think of a woman having such a dark secret and hiding herself away to end the problem . .the consequences are so easy (and sad) to predict.
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| MeanDean |
| February 19, 2006, 11:53am |
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Just to give you some food for thought Gizmo, the contraceptive pill usually works in 3 differant ways. -It increases the mucus membrane on the cervix making it more difficult for sperm to pass. -It makes it less likely for an ovary to release an egg. -It retards the ability of a fetilized egg to implant on the uterus and makes it's way out. In the third case, assuming an egg has been dropped and sperm has gotten through to fertilise it, the only differance between this last safegaurd and the morning after pill is perhaps not much if anything at all. I actually don't know if the morning after pill makes implantation not occur, if it causes rejection, or both, but either way it's not really for us to say if when or how it is called life once it's got all the genetics to be potentially be called life. Half of all fertilised eggs don't stick to the uterus naturally. Many women miscarry early on and never know, beleiving it to be spotting or their normal cycle. None of the above should be mistaken for my moral convictions on the issue. I don't remember if I've said it before or not, but I think that it's silly that when abortion is legal that we should argue over just how to go about it. Legality of abortion is the fuel of the fire, not RU486. RU486 is an innocent bystander that made an easy scapegoat. As an inanimate object, I feel sorry for it  |
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| Gizmo |
| February 19, 2006, 4:02pm |
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Quoted from MeanDean
. .RU486 . . . . As an inanimate object, I feel sorry for it
. .  . .  . . you will get over it!  |
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| BSquared |
| February 19, 2006, 7:00pm |
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Quoted from Gizmo
Still frightening to think of a woman having such a dark secret and hiding herself away to end the problem . .the consequences are so easy (and sad) to predict.
On that one we don't disagree at all...and I find it awful that in all the debate over this drug or abortion generally we rarely hear anyone talking about that aspect...not the right to lifers or the pro-choicers. Are there women who use abortion as a twisted form of contraception? sure Are there women who use abortion because a pregnancy doesn't fit with their travel plans just now? sure But often the decision is a heart-wrenching one...and if society hadn't got so darn caught up with right and wrong (and I find both the right to lifers and the pro-choicers equally vehemant about their rightness) they might take time to consider that things in real life are rarely black and white but often shady grey...some women feel they have no other option... they are at risk of being beaten mercilessly by a father or brother who believes they are evil because they had sex, or they are at risk of giving birth to a seriously ill or deformed child because they have that many drugs coursing through their system they don't remember having the sex that got them pregnant in the first place or the 14 weeks in between that event and sitting in the doctor's office or they are at risk of having another child that they simply cannot afford to feed on their income (even with a baby bonus) or they are so bone jarringly scared of bringing a baby into the world because they are alone...they have no family, no father for the child, no friends who might help There are a million such stories...and they're all a very very very sad indictment of our world |
| Cheers, BSquared
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| SuziH |
| February 20, 2006, 7:57am |
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Abortion counselling: the choice is yoursBy Stephanie Peatling
February 20, 2006
WOMEN with unplanned pregnancies will be able to choose whether to seek counselling but will be referred only to trained professionals by their general practitioners under measures to be discussed by Federal Government ministers tomorrow. Church groups already running pregnancy support services say that although their views on abortion are well known, their counselling services canvass all options. The executive director of Catholic Welfare Australia, Frank Quinlan, said more counselling services were needed to help women with unplanned or unwanted pregnancies make decisions about their future and to help women after they had terminations. "Anyone coming to one of our agencies is likely to understand the Catholic Church's position on abortion," Mr Quinlan said yesterday. "But we are very adamant that we have to be providing support and assistance to all comers." The Minister for Health, Tony Abbott, will take a $60 million package to cabinet tomorrow, including a proposal for a 24-hour national telephone service for pregnancy counselling. He will also ask for an extension of the Medicare rebate to cover three counselling sessions for women with unplanned pregnancies. It is understood the counselling would be optional and women would be referred to psychologists or to general practitioners or nurses with psychology training. The telephone service will be put out to tender. Mr Abbott said yesterday he did not have a problem with church groups making expressions of interest for the service. "I have a great deal of confidence in church groups to deliver professional health services," Mr Abbott said. "They deliver them with a Christian ethos of love and compassion and I think any services which the Christian churches deliver are delivered with great professionalism but also with great compassion." The chief executive of Anglicare Sydney, Peter Kell, said people should be able to choose whether they went to church-backed or secular counselling services. "Some of the criticism that has been directed at this suggestion has been the misapprehension that Christian counselling would tell the people who go to them what decision to make," Mr Kell said. "That's not how counselling works. It only works when it helps people make informed decisions and how to live with them." The Opposition said a woman with an unplanned pregnancy should be able to choose whom to approach for counselling. "She might choose to be counselled by someone else and she should be able to make that choice," its health spokeswoman, Julia Gillard, said. "We all know Tony Abbott is a very religious man, but he's not God and he shouldn't have the right to pick who is going to counsel every Australian woman who decides that she would like some counselling in the difficult circumstances of facing an unplanned pregnancy." Abortion counselling services were referred to the consumer watchdog last year for investigation. The Greens senator Kerry Nettle wrote to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in October asking it to see whether abortion counselling centres were providing women seeking terminations with all available options. Source:http://www.smh.com.au/news/nat.....9/1140283949270.html |
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| The_Phantom |
| February 20, 2006, 2:05pm |
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Quoted from MeanDean
In the third case, assuming an egg has been dropped and sperm has gotten through to fertilise it, the only differance between this last safegaurd and the morning after pill is perhaps not much if anything at all. I actually don't know if the morning after pill makes implantation not occur, if it causes rejection, or both, but either way it's not really for us to say if when or how it is called life once it's got all the genetics to be potentially be called life.
Yo Mean Dean. Good information. The RU486 pill breaks down the lining of the uterus so that it can't sustain the foetus (baby) and it is as you say, rejected by the body. If you (not you, but a woman) are using a contraceptive and get pregnant anyway, then it's all over red rover. You can't take a contraceptive after the event. That is the difference between it and RU486. It is amazing how many people have a miscarriage early on. Until my sister-in-law had one, we didn't know of anyone, but suddenly everyone comes out with a story of someone they know had it happen to them. It is all too common. |
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| SuziH |
| February 26, 2006, 8:34am |
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Drug companies refuse to import abortion pill
By Glenn Milne
February 26, 2006
ABORTION pill RU486 will not be freely available to Australian women, despite this month's emotional Federal Parliament debate.
Major pharmaceutical companies have informally advised their peak industry group, Medicines Australia, they have no intention of importing the drug.
They have decided the move would be too costly and controversial.
This month's rare conscience vote, releasing MPs from the constraints of voting along party lines, stripped Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott of his veto over the pill.
More than 150 members and senators spoke on the Bill during the five sitting days it took to pass through both houses of Parliament.
It was hailed by supporters as a breakthrough giving all women access to the drug – particularly rural women who might not be able to easily obtain a surgical abortion.
But given the unwillingness of Australian-based drug companies to get involved, the dream of Federal MPs who voted for RU486 – that it be readily available across the pharmacy counter – is unlikely to be realised.
Well-placed sources said the decision not to import RU486 was based on two factors.
The first is that the market is limited and the elaborate approval process would not make commercial sense.
But the second reason is more important. Pharmaceutical companies understand that their industry is not particularly well regarded by the community and they believe it is not worth stirring up a high-profile campaign against them by the pro-life movement.
"Against that background it's not particularly clever to register such a medicine when we're going to get a range of groups capable of generating a lot of publicity targeting the whole industry," said one source close to the drug companies.
The decision by the companies also means it will be much harder for RU486 to be placed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Without PBS listing there would be no Federal Government subsidy for the pill.
Under current law only certified drug importers and "authorised prescribers", usually doctors, are allowed to apply through the Therapeutic Goods Administration to import drugs after they are approved, and then ask for PBS listing. Individuals are prohibited.
While women might still be able to access RU486 overseas on the internet, the application of the pill is time-sensitive and the length of the process would probably mean the window of opportunity for its effective use would be missed.
The Cairns-based medico who helped spark the RU486 debate, Dr Caroline de Costa, is working flat out to get around the effective continuing ban on the drug by the pharmaceutical industry.
As an authorised prescriber she has begun the process of asking the TGA to allow her to import RU486 and has approached the New Zealand not-for-profit company Ista, which sells RU486 in that country, to provide a supply of the drug.
She is also trying to encourage Ista's parent company in France, Exelgyn, which owns the drug's patent, to apply to the TGA to import the drug.
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