The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has failed in an attempt to bring Britain into line with some of the rest of the world. In some countries, women can take the second of two abortion pills at home but not in this country and that continues to be the case, after a High Court ruling.
The BPAS brought a test case to see whether the wording of how abortion drugs were to be prescribed and administered in a clinic, with two pills taken between one and two days apart, could mean that the woman could be allowed home after taking the first pill, to take the second there. The judge ruled that this interpretation of the 1967 Abortion Act, as amended, was not possible. The court placed the onus on the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, to make changes to the law.
The BPAS had argued that a second visit caused problems for those women where the clinic was not close by and that many women were afraid of miscarrying in between the two visits. BPAS Chief Executive, Ann Furedi stressed that BPAS would continue to press for the law to be changed, to bring Britain up to date with best practice in the rest of the world, adding that it was in women’s’ best interests and part of their duty to the women they served.
In a heartfelt statement, she went on to say that it was morally wrong to put women through such anxiety when medical advice is generally that it is safer and less stressful to take medicine at home. The law was not fit for purpose and therefore must be changed. She looked forward to working with Government and other appropriate officials to effect the changes in the law.
