UHS Remains Undecided On Abortion Pill

RU-486, the drug that offers an alternative to surgical abortion, will be available to doctors before the end of the month, but doctors at University

Health Services (UHS) remain undecided over whether to prescribe it to students.

Legal in parts of Europe for over a decade, RU-486 was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) on Sept. 29.

According to UHS Director Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59, UHS "will be following the advice of the gynecologists at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston" as to whether and how it should be offered.

The treatment plan involves three separate visits to a doctor over two weeks, and the drug can only be dispensed by a doctor or a supervised health care practitioner. It will not be available from pharmacies, and women must agree to a surgical abortion if the drug fails, since it can cause birth defects in the fetus.

Students currently have access through the UHS pharmacy to oral contraceptives including the "morning-after pill," and their purchase can be term-billed as "pharmacy charges." It is possible that this option will be extended to cover RU-486 if it is offered.

UHS also provides counseling to students who become pregnant, as do peer counseling groups on campus. It does not, however, perform surgical abortions.

Those who decide to have an abortion are referred to approved local clinics. The cost is partly subsidized by UHS through the Student Health Services fee.

Students "with strong moral objections to sharing the cost of elective abortions" can apply for a refund of the portion of their $1 fee used for this purpose. The option, outlined in the Guide to UHS, was exercised by 271 students last year.

Rosenthal said more might exercise the option if they were aware that it existed.

"A lot of students don't know about it because they don't read the health guide," he said.

It is currently unclear whether RU-486 will be covered by either the subsidy or the refund program.

There is disagreement within the student body about the UHS funding allocation.

"Students for Choice expects that UHS insurance will subsidize funds towards the prescription of RU-486, just as it does for surgical abortions," said Victoria L. Steinberg '01, a "Students for Choice" representative.

"We hope that UHS will not expand its refund 'policy' to cover RU-486."

Mary C. Cardinale '02, who chairs the Gospel of Life Committee of the Catholic Students Association, said she hopes UHS will not offer the drug.

"I don't think UHS is going to jump on the bandwagon at this stage, or at least I hope not," she said.

Members of the group are considering writing a letter of protest to UHS if the decision is made to prescribe RU-486, and would like to see a card included in the first-year "Safety Kit" informing all students of the Health Services fee refund policy.

Some anti-abortion students said their views are directly influencing--and sometimes changing--the ballots they cast for the Nov. 7 presidential election.

"I don't agree with either candidate on every issue, but this is just paramount for me, particularly in view of the Supreme Court appointments," Cardinale said.

"I really don't like Bush, but I think I'll vote for him because of his views on abortion," said Michelle C. Baca '04, a anti-abortion student.

A number of Harvard's anti-abortion campaigners said they opposed the FDA's decision on medical as well as ethical grounds.

"This drug is not good from a medical point of view. It's deceptively easy. With a surgical abortion, at least the mother does not see the remains of the aborted child. This is a very gruesome process. The FDA did it for purely political reasons," said Melissa R. Moschella '02, president of the "Right to Life" student group.

Steinberg said she is worried that the upcoming elections could endanger women's access to abortion.

"Any decision regarding abortion becomes politicized. With the upcoming elections, the right to a safe and legal abortion, surgical or otherwise, is in danger," Steinberg said.

According to the FDA, the major side effects of RU-486 treatment are cramping and bleeding. The FDA website said these side effects indicate the treatment is working, although in 1 out of 100 women, surgery is required because of heavy bleeding.

Some women also experience headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and in five percent of cases, the abortion is incomplete and requires surgery.