Health PEI undecided on whether it will cover cost of abortion drug

Two years after the abortion drug Mifegymiso was approved for use by Health Canada,Health PEI says it is still exploring the whether or not it will cover the cost for Islanders.

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New Brunswick recently announced it will offer Mifegymiso, also known as RU-486, free to women with a valid health card. Four other provinces have also committed to this.

A spokesperson for Health PEI said P.E.I.'s decisions regarding drug availability are focused on ensuring the health and safety of Islanders.

The drug has been on the market since January.

Doctors being trained

Before being allowed to prescribe Mifegymiso, doctors are required to complete special training.

As of mid-June, 22 Island doctors had completed the training, and another four had registered for the course, according to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Mifegymiso is a two-part treatment, combining mifepristone to block the hormone progesterone and misoprostol to induce a miscarriage.

In Canada, the drug has been approved for use in the first seven weeks of pregnancy.

The treatment costs about $300.

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