Strong opposition to abortion adverts

The Christian Medical Fellowship is resisting proposals to relax the laws on abortion advertising.

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) proposals would open the way for abortion providers and family planning clinics to advertise their services on TV and radio.

There was anger from pro-life groups last year when abortion provider Marie Stopes International ran a major TV advertising campaign.

Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) argues that abortion adverts on TV and radio would mislead vulnerable women.

CMF made a submission to the BCAP consultation this week in which it warned that advertising by organisations with a vested interest in increasing the numbers of abortions carried out in their clinics could hinder women from accessing services that offer independent advice.

Head of public policy at CMF, Philippa Taylor said: “Adverts on TV and radio that promote abortion sell it as a trivial and harmless procedure, which can easily be carried out in a lunch hour.

“How far from the truth that is, and dangerous too, for those women who believe the adverts.”

Following the consultation, BCAP will send out a recommendation to Ofcom before the end of the year.

CMF's warning comes as the Thomas More Legal Centre celebrates a successful intervention on behalf of two Christian nurses whose hospital refused to grant their request to be transferred from abortion duties.

According to the Thomas More Legal Centre, one manager at the unnamed hospital had commented: “What would happen if we allowed all the Christian nurses to refuse?”

The hospital backed down in the face of the centre’s challenge, which argued that refusing the nurses’ request would contravene the 2010 Equality Act.