Australia approves RU-486; Cabinet endorses pregnancy counseling plan

Published: 2006-02-22

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- Just days after Australia's Parliament voted to allow the so-called abortion pill to be introduced into the nation's health system, the Cabinet endorsed a multimillion-dollar plan for pregnancy counseling and support. On Feb. 17, Health Minister Tony Abbott, a Catholic and staunch opponent of abortion, lost control over use of the drug RU-486. By a two-thirds majority, control of the drug was turned over to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the regulatory body that manages prescription drugs. The body is expected to make its recommendations about the pill within coming months. However, on Feb. 21 Abbott won backing for a $60 million (US$44.2 million) counseling package to offer a 24-hour advice hotline for pregnant women and a Medicare rebate for counseling if women are considering an abortion. Abbott maintains that more than 100,000 abortions are performed each year in Australia, and national polls show that 87 percent of Australians believe the abortion rate is excessive.

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