RU486 Conscience Vote A Vote for Democracy and the Safety of Medications
Today the Senate votes on amendments that would effectively open the way for the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) to assess the drug RU486 for use in Australia.
Under current legislation, the process for approval of RU486 does not reside with the TGA or Parliament. It resides with a single individual, the Minister for Health and Ageing of the day. This is because of a political decision in 1996, not a decision on medication safety grounds.
AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said today's conscience vote should focus solely on the ability to have RU486 formally assessed by an independent expert body - the TGA.
"This is surely where the discussion on safety of medicines - all medicines - starts and ends," Dr Haikerwal said.
"What is needed is a rigorous, scientific, robust and accountable process by experts who understand the pharmacology and the science that underpins all safety requirements of drugs.
"In Australia, that expertise rests with the TGA, not the Health Minister of the day.
"Today's vote is not a vote about abortion - it is about who is best qualified to scientifically assess the safety and efficacy of a drug. It is that simple. It is wrong to suggest or argue that it is anything else.
"Despite claims to the contrary, and attempts to distort our stand, the AMA's position in this debate is medically-based, patient-focused, and unambiguous, as set out in our Position Statement on the Termination of Pregnancy," Dr Haikerwal said.
The AMA Position Statement reads:
1. The AMA respects the rights of doctors to hold differing views regarding termination of pregnancy.
2. Where the law permits termination of pregnancy, the procedure and the associated anaesthesia should, as with any other medical intervention, be performed by appropriately trained medical practitioners, in premises approved by a recognised health standards authority.
3. Where the law permits termination of pregnancy, non-surgical forms of termination (such as RU486/mifepristone) should be made available as an alternative to surgical abortion in cases where they are medically deemed to be the safest and most appropriate option based on the appropriate clinical assessment.
4. It is the doctor's responsibility to provide patients with information regarding the potential health risks and psychological consequences which can arise from continuation of and termination of pregnancy.