Manila mayor Lito Atienza has stated that he will arrest anyone who attempts to ship the abortion pill RU-486 into the city, dubbing the pill as a “do-it-yourself murder kit”. His statement was in response to an announcement made by the Philippine secretary of health authorizing RU-486 for victims of rape and incest. The pill, also known as mifepristone, has recently been approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration.
Mifepristone (RU486) is a medical breakthrough in women’s health overall and a safe, effective method of terminating pregnancy in 49 days or less. The pill is administered orally, is non-invasive, requires no anesthesia, and bears less risk of infection. Many women prefer mifepristone because the procedure is more private and allows them greater psychological control in ending a pregnancy. In addition, medical studies have shown mifepristone shows promise as a possible treatment for uterine fibroid tumors, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, meningioma (brain tumors), some types of breast cancer and other serious diseases and conditions that mostly affect women. The Feminist Majority Foundation has for the past twelve years campaigned to make mifepristone available to women in the United States, both as an abortion pill and also alternative treatment, or compassionate use, to serious illnesses affecting women’s heath.
