Government to Introduce Abortion Pills Through Medical Prescriptions
The government has decided to officially introduce abortion pills, to be directly prescribed and dispensed by doctors at hospitals. This paves the way for women to terminate a pregnancy with medication rather than surgery. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety jointly reported plans for introducing medications for artificial termination of pregnancy at the 14th National Policy Coordination Meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul on the 16th.
This measure is the first institutional reform pushed forward in the seven years since the Constitutional Court's April 2019 ruling that the abortion ban was unconstitutional. The government explained it is a follow-up measure to President Lee Jae-myung's directive in July to review the possibility of approving abortion pills.
According to the government, abortion pills have until now circulated illegally or been used as substitutes outside the medical system, without verified safety. Women's medical choice to opt for either surgery or medication depending on their health condition was also limited. Socioeconomic burdens arose as well, with costs increasing as procedures were delayed.
The drug under approval review was applied for based on clinical trial data for use within 63 days of pregnancy, or nine weeks. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently conducting the approval review of the imported product and plans to focus on safety, efficacy, and quality. After market launch, a risk management plan for collecting and evaluating adverse cases, along with the management of informational and educational materials for patients and medical staff, will also be reviewed.
For the first two years after introduction, the government plans to manage the drug through direct prescription and dispensing by doctors at medical institutions. Based on the results of reviews of side effects and safety during this period, it will consider gradually expanding the scope of management.
Gender Equality and Family Minister Won Min-kyung said that pregnancy and childbirth are decisions with a profound impact on women's lives, and that due to institutional deficiencies, the right to safe access to the medical system has not been sufficiently guaranteed. Health and Welfare Minister Chung Eun-kyung said she would establish conditions for safe use after the drug's approval. Food and Drug Safety Minister Oh Yu-kyoung also said she would thoroughly review the approval application materials, putting public safety first. The government reported that once the drug is institutionalized, patterns of use can be monitored, and safe drug use and follow-up management will become possible.
