Student group Pulse comes out in favour of morning-after pill

Student organisation Pulse has declared itself in favour of the proposed legislation of the morning-after pill.

The left-wing group cited Medicine Authority chairman Anthony Serracino Inglott, who argued that pill isn’t abortive.

“While it prevents ovulation or fertilization, it does not stop implantation,” he said. “Pills with the same active ingredients as the morning-after pill are already available on the market. It is clear that there is nothing precluding the morning-after pill from being available in Malta.”

Pulse noted that the World Health Organisation agrees that emergency contraception is only effective in the first few days following intercourse, before the ovum is released from the ovary and before the sperm fertilizes the ovum.

“Emergency contraception cannot therefore interrupt an established pregnancy or harm a developing embryo,” it said. “Furthermore, it has been internationally established that unfettered access to contraception greatly decreases the rate of teenage pregnancies and abortion.”

Pulse also took an unveiled dig at rival student group SDM, who recently launched a public consultation amongst university students on the morning-after pill.

“It would have been irresponsible to issue a position without referring to research an experts. However, it would have been equally irresponsible to wait and issue a position based on the student body or the general population’s popular opinion – reflecting a principle and value crisis.”

Earlier this month, the Women’s Rights Organisation filed a judicial protest against the ban of emergency contraception, arguing that it breached their fundamental rights as women.

Their stance has drawn the ire of pro-life organisations, who have claimed that the morning-after pill is abortifacient.