The abortion pill will become available in Japan, after obtaining permission on Friday, April 28 by the Ministry of Health.
Abortion has been legal in Japan since 1948, up to 22 weeks of gestation, but it usually requires the consent of the spouse or partner, and surgery was the only option until now.
sequel after announcement
And the ministry announced in a notification to the health sector on Friday that it had approved the pill from the British laboratory Linepharma.
Abortion today in France: “Don’t come back and tell me you can’t get pregnant anymore!” »
The laboratory had submitted in December 2021 in Japan an application for a license for the abortion pill, a treatment that combines two drugs: mifepristone (or RU 486) which makes it possible to stop the development of pregnancy by acting on a hormone called progesterone and misoprostol, taken after a day or two This leads to cramping and bleeding.
This method has been approved in many countries, including France since 1988. Japan has approved the termination of pregnancy up to nine weeks after the opinion of a ministerial committee after long discussions.
Abortions are not compensated
According to NHK public television, the total cost of abortion pills and medical advice will be around 100,000 yen (669 euros). Termination of pregnancy is not compensated by health insurance.
sequel after announcement
Mifepristone has been at the center of a legal battle in the United States. The Supreme Court decided on April 21 that access to the abortion pill could continue for the time being.
Abortion taboo: “Women are enveloped in tremendous loneliness”
Meanwhile, activists in Japan are campaigning for increased access to the morning-after pill that prevents pregnancy. Currently, it cannot be purchased without a doctor’s approval, it is not covered by health insurance and it is the only medicine that must be taken in front of a pharmacist to avoid the black market.
