Humanists UK, alongside 20 other royal colleges and campaigning groups, has written a letter to The Times calling upon the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt to allow women in England to take abortion pills at home rather than being required to make multiple trips to a hospital or clinic. The letter has been published on the day of the 50th anniversary of the Abortion Act 1967 coming into force, and so abortion becoming generally available in Britain. Today also marks 50 years since the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) was founded by Humanists UK member Martin Cole.
Humanists UK supports the home use of abortion pills, which represents a change strongly supported by health professionals and women, and brings abortion policy into line with recommendations by the World Health Organisation.
This letter, coordinated by BPAS and also signed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, the Fawcett Society, and FPA, follows announcements by both the Scottish and Welsh Governments that they plan to allow home use. The overwhelming majority of abortions are carried out medically, by the taking of two pills several days apart. Current law requires that women must take both pills in a clinic or hospital, often resulting in women experiencing bleeding, cramping, and miscarriage whilst travelling home.
Recent studies have shown that the home use of abortion pills is safe and improves the quality of the women’s experience. A study carried out by the University of Texas found that in 95 percent of cases, women in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland who used online-purchased abortion pills safely ended their pregnancies and did not require medical attention, and none of those who did require medical attention had any serious lasting side-effects. This study clearly indicates that abortion pills are safe for women to use outside of a clinical setting and arguments against home use on the basis of safety concerns are unfounded.
Humanists UK Campaigns Officer Rachel Taggart-Ryan commented, ‘Today marks 50 years since the Abortion Act came into force allowing women safe, legal and local access to reproductive healthcare. Today also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of bpas, founded by Humanists UK member and future Birmingham Humanists President Martin Cole.
‘In the 50 years since the 1967 Act healthcare has advanced and there is no longer any medical reason why, in the vast majority of cases, a woman should be forced to experience the effects of taking abortion pills whilst travelling from a clinic, instead of being able to manage those effects at a time and place suitable to her. We are proud to to remain by the side of BPAS and other pro-choice campaigning groups continuing to advance sexual and reproductive rights.’
The letter reads:
Sir, As we mark 50 years of safe, legal abortion in Britain we urge the health and social care secretary to join his Scottish and Welsh counterparts in enabling women to use abortion medication at home to end an early pregnancy. Allowing women to take these pills at home once lawfully prescribed is endorsed by the World Health Organisation and good practice around the world. It reduces the risk of pain, bleeding and miscarriage on the way home from a clinic and improves the comfort, privacy and dignity of women. For these reasons women in England are already able to use the same medication at home for the treatment of incomplete miscarriage. We ask for the same dignity to be extended to women requesting an early abortion.
Jeremy Hunt has the power to enact this simple measure that would improve the wellbeing of women. On this landmark anniversary, we urge him to use this authority.
Professor Lesley Regan, President, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Dr Asha Kasliwal, President, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare
Ann Furedi, Chief Executive, British Pregnancy Advisory Service
Sarah Green, Co-Director, End Violence Against Women Coalition
Sam Smethers, Chief Executive, Fawcett Society
Natika H Halil, Chief Executive, FPA
Kate Guthrie and Jo Fletcher, Co-Chairs, British Society of Abortion Care Providers
Sophie Walker, leader, Women’s Equality Party
Rebecca Schiller, Chief Executive, Birthrights
Dr Jayne Kavanagh and Professor Wendy Savage, Co-Chairs, Doctors for Choice
Rosalind Bragg, Director, Maternity Action
Laura Russell and Alisa Berry-Ryan, Co-Chairs, Voice For Choice coalition
Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
Rebecca Gomperts, Founder and Director of Women on Waves and Women on Web
Professor Sally Sheldon, Lawyers for Choice
Anna Veglio-White, Founder, Sister Supporter
Emma Campbell, Alliance for Choice, Northern Ireland
Notes
For further comment or information contact Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Campaigns Officer at rachel@humanists.uk or 0207 324 3065.
Read the letter in the Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/let-women-take-abortion-pill-at-home-hunt-told-lm5gn7fgg
Read more about Humanists UK’s campaigns work on abortion: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/sexual-and-reproductive-rights/
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