"The Christian Heritage Party has no factual basis for its unsubstantiated and erroneous condemnation of RU-486." Craig Young, National ALRANZ Research Officer, stated.

"Gael Donoghue, their health spokesperson, refers to some women's experience of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Those experiences are comparable to pregnancy. Moreover, RU486 users appreciate their own control and discretion over the procedure in much available research."

"Does Ms. Donoghue mean clinical side-effects? RU486 has been in use for over a decade within France and Britain. It is a reliable method of abortion, although it may not be appropriate for women with cardiovascular problems in their medical history. Anti-abortionists have been unable to prove allegations about risks from those problems and other allegations of severe foetal disability. Otherwise, there would have been an upsurge in women's incidence of cardiovascular problems or the incidence of severe foetal abnormality terminations. That has not happened."

Mr. Young corrected CHP errors about the producer: "Excelgyn has produced RU486, which is now used widely within Western Europe, China and Israel. Hoechst ceded those rights to that company in 1998."

He concluded: "I am disgusted at Ms.Donoghue's careless use of the word "holocaust" in this context. Abortion is a medical procedure, and it should not be equated with the ordeal and genocide of Jews, Gypsies, gay men, people with disabilities, and other victims of Nazi barbarity. The Nazis were anti-abortion and used forced sterilisation against Jewish, Polish and Slav women."

Contact: Craig Young National ALRANZ Research Officer ph 06 3569099 ext 7750