Hits Vatican on controversial abortion pill
The Vatican struck out on Sunday to make plans for a controversial abortion pill in Italian hospitals within days.
“Abortion means to take the life of an innocent person, since most of a moment of the existence of the embryo is a human being is its own rights,” Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the Vatican’s health spokesman, told the news agency ANSA.
Italy monitoring of pharmaceutical approved the use of the pill RU486, in February 2008 and is set to meet next week to finalize its entry into the Italian market.
The makers of the pill, Exelgyn laboratories in France, say they may end pregnancies up to seven weeks.
In 2005, the experimental use of RU486 in three Italian hospitals provoked an outcry from Catholics and conservative groups.
Italian Minister of Youth Giorgia Meloni warned that RU486 poses some risks.
“Do not think of RU486 as a contraceptive pill, since it is not one. This is a pregnancy that has already started, a drug that poses serious risks for women who have it. Every new way to end the Life is not a victory for anybody, “said the minister.
The RU486 will be available only in hospitals in Italy. It is already approved for use in a number of EU countries.
The abortion was legalized in Italy in 1978, but pressure from the Vatican – which is strongly opposed to abortion – enabled doctors to claim a “conscientious objection” clause and refuse to carry out terminations.
Between 2003 and 2007 the number of gynecologists claiming the conscience clause to avoid carrying out abortions rose from 58.7 percent to 69.2 percent, according to a recent report.
