After a series of rumours in both directions, the future of the government’s emergency DIY abortion scheme looks uncertain, with the government claiming it was “always intended to be a temporary measure”, but that they are still reviewing the evidence.
This scheme, introduced out of desperation during COVID, allowed abortion vendors to place women’s safety at risk by sending abortion pills out in the mail to them (or potentially to their abusers). This required no face-to-face consultation, a critical safeguard against coerced abortion, life-threatening ruptured ectopic pregnancies and a litany of other possible risks. It was a devastating decision for the safety of the most vulnerable women.