Women in Australia who wish to obtain an abortion may soon be able to do it by simply making a phone call to abortion service provider The Tabbot Foundation.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, The Tabbot Foundation would be assessing women by phone, therefore eliminating their need to see a pharmacist or doctor. The only time they would be required to visit medical clinics would be for ultrasound and blood tests.
If they passed the assessment, the women could perform the abortion themselves as soon as they receive from The Tabbot Foundation do-it-yourself abortion kits that include anti-nausea drugs, painkillers, prophylactic antibiotics, mifepristone, and misoprostol (also called RU486) for only $250.
"Medical pregnancy termination through teleconference is one of the most appropriate medical conditions you can use this for because you don't have to examine the patient," a Tabbot spokesman said. "It will also mean women who might have felt intimidated going into an abortion clinic don't have to."
The psychological evaluation will also be done by phone, and a nurse will call a day later after the abortion is conducted just to check with the patient.
To complete their service, The Tabbot Foundation has a 24-hour help line and follow-up blood tests.
Anti-abortion groups haven't issued a statement yet regarding this new abortion procedure.
According to pro-choice advocate Jenny Eljak, her group played a part in the formulation of this idea.
"Back in 2012, when these medications were approved... there was a lot of media that said, 'Oh, every GP will be able to prescribe it, and it will only cost them $6,' and that just hasn't happened," Eljak told the Brisbane Times.
A lot of doctors actually avoided conducting abortions "because they know there's a significant backlash that will happen from opponents of abortion," she said, adding that Tabbot's new model can help address this issue.
