TOKYOSep 26 (News On Japan) – Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has postponed talks on the use of the country’s first oral abortion pill in clinics, citing a need to improve medical infrastructure.
The oral abortion pill “Mefeego Pack,” which was approved for medical abortions in April last year, currently has to be administered in a facility that can admit patients.
After post-market surveys confirmed a certain level of safety, the Ministry of Health considered using the pill in clinics without clinical facilities. Last month, this proposal was approved by a specialized committee.
However, the Japan Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists responded to the plan in a statement, warning the ministry that necessary preparations for the medical system, including training of clinics and coordination with medical institutions, have not yet been made.
In response, the Ministry of Health announced at a council meeting on December 25 that it would reconsider the use of the pill in clinics without clinical facilities through further discussions within the specialized committee.
It is considered unusual for a conclusion of the professional committee to be reconsidered in this way.
The Ministry of Health said: “We aim to quickly establish a system that will make the medication easily accessible to women who need it.”
Source: ANNE
