Abortion Pill Legal In Canada, Likely To Be Available In 2016 — Is It Safe?

After three years in deliberation, Health Canada has finally given its approval to make RU-486 available for women in its country. The drug works to terminate pregnancy in its early stages without the need for surgery. Women in other countries, like France and the United States, have had access to it for many years, according to the BBC. 

Abortion in Canada is not considered a criminal act, according to Duhaime.Org. But its health department is tasked to set the guidelines regarding this and restrictions are different per region, according to CBC News. Though some hospitals offer surgical abortions, it's not always easy for women to have this.

"Access is good to excellent in most major cities, but it's the rural areas and the North and a few places like the Maritimes and Saskatchewan where access is still poor," said Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada executive director Joyce Arthur in the CBC report.

This will all change with the approval of the abortion pill, which will be branded as Mifegymiso once it goes on sale, as stated by Health Canada.

More commonly referred as mifepristone in other countries, the drug inhibits the production of progesterone, the hormone that primes the uterus for pregnancy. Once taken, a woman may feel contractions a few days later, and then miscarriage of the fetus will soon follow.

Mifegymiso is only supposed to be used within the first 49 days of pregnancy, according to the Health Canada guidelines, and despite its approval, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding the use of the abortion pill. The primary concern is how safe it is, especially when the use of the drug has been linked to fatal sepsis or infection among women in the United States, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"No drug is without risk, but the risks associated with RU-486 are well known," said Dr. Laura Lewis, a board member of the Canadian Physicians for Life, in another CBC News report. "When we consider this will make abortion more accessible to women living in remote areas, we need to remember that due to the drug's possible adverse effects, women using this drug will still need proper medical follow up."

Before approving the pill, Health Canada put to task Linepharma, the pharmaceutical company that makes Mifegymiso, to set up a proper registration program for those who will prescribe the medication. Risk managements measures, including a 24-hour hotline and the distribution of educational packets about the pill, should also be established at health agencies for women's education and awareness.

The drug will be available in Canada in the winter of 2016, according to Complex.