This fight was fought in the early 70's we shouldn't have to refight it every generation. Abortions are legal in Australia and women are entitled to the safest medical procedures available. RU486 has been used in France for 20 years. It is considered very safe. The complication rate for RU486 is 0.008% - from statistics accessed in September.

This arguement reminds me of conditions in Japan. In Japan the contraceptive pill is considered unsafe. The average Japanese woman has about 5 abortions. Why? The Japanese surgeons are a very powerful lobby group concerned about loss of income.

I am annoyed at the forum managers for putting up a Catholic pro-life essay wthout an opposing essay for balance

Yabby ....¿¿

Quote Yabby, "What would you do if a sperm met an ova down in a sewer?" Unquote. Oh yeah¿ Are you sure¿ Are you even serious ...

Isn't that where --> yabbies <-- come from¿

...................................o0o..............................

roflmao

To quote Cleese ...

--> "SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB YOU VACUOUS STUFFY-NOSED MALODOROUS PERVERT!"

--> "Excuse me, I want an argument¿"

--> "Oops, sorry mate! This is abuse..."

(Okay - sorry Yabby I know this qualifies as Pythonesque abuse, brêkkin serious online forum decorum, but with your nickname you've unfortunately strolled into Room 12: ... Pliza forgive me!)

--> "You want room 12A, next door ..."

Thank you Dr Harrison for this article, and for taking an interest in what is happening here in Australia. As far as I know, there are less deaths from surgical abortion. If anyone has hard data to debate that, please provide it.

Sherrin Ward
I dont know where you got that information as there are no statistics in Australia. RU 486 is banned because of political intervention solely on so called moral grounds.
However, if you seek information I suggest you go to the Australian Parliamentary Library, Research note No.19 2005 06 by Luke Buckmaster, Social Policy Section dated 29th November 2005 .
He refers to experience overseas where RU 486 has been widely used .
There is no suggestion that "there are more deaths than surgical abortion' as you believe.
Fortunately commonsense will hopefully prevail and the use of RU 486 will be the subject of a conscience vote and the matter will be placed in the hands of the Therapeutic Goods Administration as an earlier post commented. After all, abortion in this country is legal,and the use of medical abortion will give women a choice.

Politics has no place in medicine.

Personal religious beliefs have no place in politics.

Politics are for all Australians not just the far right religious fundies.

To register your protest against Abbott's personal agenda please access the following website:

http://www.getup.org.au/index.asp

Let the medical experts decide on RU486.

Cheers