Choice Ireland

Choice Ireland welcome decision to make emergency contraception
available without prescription

After campaigning on the issue for many years, Choice Ireland are today welcoming the decision by the Boots pharmacy chain to make emergency contraception available in pharmacies without prescription.

Choice Ireland has today welcomed the decision by the European Court of Human Rights to declare Ireland in violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Court unanimously held that the lack of any legislative or regulatory scheme in Ireland by which a woman could establish whether she is entitled to a lifesaving abortion violates Ireland’s obligation to ensure respect for her private life.

Choice Ireland spokesperson Sinéad Ahern has today commented on Daily Mail and TV3 investigations showing the ready online availability of abortion pills.

Ahern said:

"When Choice Ireland's Freedom of Information request to the Irish Medicines Board revealed that at least three women a day were attempting to import abortion pills, we said that this was only the tip of the iceberg. These investigations have proven us correct. They demonstrate that customs are unable to prevent women from obtaining DIY abortions just by going online.

 An investigation by TV3 has revealed how cheap and easy it is to buy illegal abortion pills online.

Choice Ireland have today confirmed that at least 1216 packages containing abortifacient drugs have been seized upon entry into Ireland. The information was obtained by Choice Ireland through a Freedom of Information request to the Irish Medicines Board.

The seizures include Misoprostol, a drug which was widely used in Portugal to induce illegal abortions prior to legalisation of abortion in 2008, and RU486, a drug used to carry out medical abortions in the US and throughout Europe.