Ru 486 Misconceptions Myths and Morals - ressourcesfeministes

RU 486Roussel Uclaf, opposed the marketing of the pill for antiabortionistreasons (Kingman, 1989).9Roussel scientist, André Ulmann, was quoted in The WashingtonPost on 3 October as saying that despite the fact that the drughad received government approval earlier in 1988, his companywould not be marketing the product in China ‘at least for thetime being’ unless the Chinese government made an officialrequest (Herman, 1988:12). Originally Roussel Uclaf alsoceased to pursue marketing approval in Great Britain, Swedenand Holland. Earlier in 1988, it had withdrawn RU 486 froman Australian research project to test the drug on 40 pregnantwomen at Monash Medical Centre under the direction of DavidHealy, a supporter of RU 486 and PG, as part of the WHOmulticenter trials. (David Healy hopes to have the drug returnedby September/October 1991.) In fact, the Australian FederalHealth Department had been deliberating for seven months,when Roussel Uclaf withdrew the application (Hills, 1988:3).In 1989, Roussel Uclaf also withdrew its drug from the LosAngeles County Hospital where David Grimes and others hadconducted the only US trials, and experiments ceased inFebruary 1990.10With the exception of some critical statements by feminists,objections to RU 486 are coming mainly from people who areopposed to chemical abortion on anti-abortion grounds and donot engage with its many dangers for women. An exception was aworking paper based on medical articles which, in addition to itsanti-abortion stance, listed some of the actual and potential adverseeffects on women by Nick Tonti-Filippini, former Director of StVincent’s Bioethics Centre, Melbourne, now Research Officer forthe Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (Tonti-Filippini, 1990).11Interviews with Lynette Dumble, Renate Klein and JocelynneScutt by Kerry O’Brien, ‘Lateline TV’, (ABC, 15.11.90); AnneDelaney, ‘The Health Report’, (ABC Sydney, 19.11.90 and22.4.91); Ruth Barney, ‘Women on the Line’ (3CR Melbourne,25.11.90 and 18.5.91); Cecily McNeill ‘Good Morning NZ’, (RadioNew Zealand, 20.11.90); Matthew Abraham (ABC Canberra,8.5.91); Jackie Fitzgerald (ABC Perth, 9.5.91).124