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Government to end temporary approval to allow women to
take both pills for early medical abortion up to 9 weeks and 6
days gestation at home, which ensured continued access to
abortion services during pandemic
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The approval will end at midnight on 29 August
2022
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Decision follows public consultation which sought views
on whether to make measures permanent
Abortion services will return to pre-pandemic arrangements from
August, following the end of temporary measures put in place
during the COVID-19 pandemic which allowed the access of pills
for early medical abortion via a teleconsultation and to take
both pills at home.
This temporary measure to take both pills for early medical
abortion at home was put in place at the start of the biggest
public health emergency in a generation, to address a specific
and acute medical need, reduce the risk of transmission of
COVID-19 and ensure continued access to abortion services.
After a public consultation, the majority of the over 18,000
consultation responses were in favour of ending the approval.
The provision, which is due to expire at the end of March, will
be extended until 29 August to enable providers to prepare for a
safe, reliable return to pre-pandemic arrangements.
Minister for Public Health said:
“Thanks to the success of the vaccine and booster programmes, we
are able to end public restrictions and we are now in a position
to remove the temporary measures put in place at the beginning of
the pandemic related to the provisions of early medical
abortions.
“As we learn to live with COVID-19, women being able to access
health services in a safe, secure way remains my priority.”
A public consultation ran from November 2020 to February 2021
which sought views on whether to make measures
permanent. The government summary of responses to the
consultation has been published today (Thursday 24 February).
Domestic abuse was raised as an issue in the public consultation
and we intend to work closely with the Violence Against Women and
Girls sector and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to ensure
safeguarding and domestic abuse are central to ongoing
work.
The wellbeing and safety of women requiring access to abortion
services has been, and will continue to be, our first and
foremost priority.
