"Abortion Pills Only at OB-GYNs"… "What About Areas Without Hospitals?"

[Anchor]

Following the government's official announcement to introduce abortion pills, the medical community and women's rights groups are sharply divided over issues such as who will prescribe the medication and whether national health insurance will cover it.

With the introduction scheduled for the first quarter of next year, Reporter Jo Yoon-ha examines the remaining challenges.

[Reporter]

Last month, when the government formalized the introduction of medical abortion pills, it presented two main principles.

They can only be prescribed to women within nine weeks of pregnancy, and for the first two years after introduction, hospitals will handle both the prescription and dispensing of the medication.

[Oh Yu-kyung / Minister of Food and Drug Safety (October 13, National Assembly Audit) : Product approval is currently pending supplemental data submission from the company. As soon as the supplemental data is submitted, we will conduct a thorough review.]

The government has promised to introduce Mifegyne in the first quarter of next year.

Although little time remains, many hurdles still need to be cleared.

First, OB-GYN doctors maintain that the authority to prescribe and dispense the drug should be restricted to OB-GYN specialists.

They argue that professional observation is necessary because ultrasound diagnosis is required and there are concerns about side effects such as incomplete abortion or massive bleeding.

On the other hand, women's rights groups ask what women living in areas without OB-GYN clinics are supposed to do.

Pointing out that among some 220 local governments nationwide, 22 have no OB-GYN clinics and 33 have only one, they argue that accessibility is severely limited.

Therefore, they contend that prescription and dispensing should also be allowed by specialists in other fields who have completed certain training or at government-designated medical institutions.

The two sides are also at odds over the application of national health insurance coverage.

The price of the drug applied for by a domestic pharmaceutical company is known to be around 350,000 won, which, when combined with various test costs and other expenses, easily exceeds several hundred thousand won.

Women's rights groups argue that health insurance coverage is essential to lower barriers for economically vulnerable women facing crisis pregnancies as well as minors.

OB-GYN doctors strongly oppose this stance.

Their argument is that insurance coverage cannot be applied to procedures that are neither for treatment nor prevention, and that threaten life.

While controversies could subside somewhat if these matters are determined by law after public hearings, the National Assembly has remained idle for seven years.

[Jeon Yoon-jung / Legislative Researcher, National Assembly Research Service : The allowable period for abortion, the grounds for it, and the methods to be used need to be revised and discussed together.]

As this is an issue involving women's safety, the abortion system must be promptly reorganized and relevant laws amended.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Kim Yong-woo | Video by Oh Young-taek | Graphics by Choi Ha-neul
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.