Medicines Authority: emergency contraception does not cause abortion

Emergency contraception does not cause abortion and it would be wrong to deny women access to the morning-after pill, the Medicines Authority has stated in a counter-protest.

The Medicines Authority was replying to a judicial protest submitted by Life Network Foundation, in which they declared they were holding the authority responsible for its actions. According to the organisation, the authority had allowed on the market pharmaceuticals that can cause “a chemical abortion”.

However, chairman Anthony Serracino Inglott described the allegations raised by the pro-lifers as “unfounded”, reiterating that competent authorities base their decisions on the Summary of Product Characteristics – a specific document required within the European Commission before any medicinal product or biocidal product is authorized for marketing.

Serracino Inglott explained that ellaOne is authorised by the European Action and it inhibits or postpones ovulation. If the ovulation has taken place, ellaOne is not effective, the chairman said.

“Emergency contraception does not give rise to abortion. On the contrary, ellaOne provides a non-abortive method which reduces the incidences of abortion,” he said.