Japan approves abortion pill for the first time

Pallade Veneta - Japan approves abortion pill for the first time

HEALTH 29.04.2023

Japan approves abortion pill for the first time / Photo: Philip FONG - AFP/File

The abortion pill will become available in Japan for the first time after the health ministry approved the drug used to terminate early-stage pregnancy.

Change text size:

Abortion is legal in Japan up to 22 weeks but consent is usually required from a spouse or partner, and until now a surgical procedure had been the only option.

The ministry said in a notification to healthcare officials on Friday it had approved the drug made by British pharmaceutical company Linepharma.

The drugmaker filed its product, a two-step treatment of mifepristone and misoprostol, for approval in Japan in December 2021.

Similar medication is available in many countries including France, which first approved the abortion pill in 1988, and the United States, where it has been available since 2000.

The approval of the pill to end pregnancies up to nine weeks follows a ministry panel endorsement, which was postponed for a month as thousands of public opinions were submitted.

National broadcaster NHK said the total cost of the abortion pill and a medical consultation would be around 100,000 yen ($700). Abortions are not covered by public health insurance.

Surgical abortions can cost around 100,000 to 200,000 yen.

Mifepristone has been at the centre of a high-profile US court battle in recent weeks.

The US Supreme Court has temporarily preserved access to the widely used abortion drug, freezing rulings by lower courts that would have banned or severely restricted its availability.

Campaigners in Japan are also pushing for better access to the morning-after pill, which prevents pregnancy.

Emergency contraception cannot currently be bought in Japan without a doctor's approval. It is also the only medicine that must be taken in front of a pharmacist to stop it being sold on the black market.

P.Colombo--PV

Seacliff Healthcare Seeks Specialist GP in Thirroul

Seacliff Healthcare, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, is seeking a Specialist General Practitioner to join its team. The practice, situated near Thirroul village station, currently supports five GPs and has capacity for additional medical staff with onsite pathology and allied health services.

India proposes more import entry points for drugs and medical devices

New Delhi The Union Health Ministry has proposed expanding the network of authorised import gateways for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics by adding several inland container depots, a special economic zone and an international airport to facilitate faster clearance and improve supply chain efficiency. The proposed amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, seeks to include additional entry points in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka, as reported by a gazette notification issued by the

Why Pregnancy Cost Estimates Fail: A Family’s $9,000 Surprise

Grace Griffin thought she had calculated her pregnancy expenses accurately until bills exceeded $9,000—more than triple her insurer’s estimate. Her experience highlights a systemic failure in healthcare transparency, as federal rules designed to provide accurate cost predictions remain unimplemented. With maternity billing codes set to change next year, experts urge parents to master insurance details and verify every bill.

Kuwait inspectors destroy 115 kilograms of unverified meat in Farwaniya

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) issued nine violation reports and destroyed 115 kilograms of meat of unknown origin during an inspection tour of food establishments in Farwaniya Governorate, the authority announced on Monday. The tour was carried out by the authority’s Farwaniya food inspection department.