VICTORIA — British Columbia has announced it will pay for the so-called abortion pill starting Jan. 15, becoming the sixth province to provide free access to the drug.
The government says in a release that Mifegymiso, also known at RU-486, can be used to terminate a pregnancy at up to nine weeks.
It says the current cost of the drug is $300, and patients wanting a prescription must visit a doctor or nurse practitioner to get an ultrasound to ensure the pregnancy is not ectopic, or outside the uterus.
The group Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights says coverage of the pill addresses an issue of equitable access to abortion in rural and remote parts of Canada where surgical options don't exist.
However, Stephanie Fennelly, spokeswoman for the Edmonton-based Wilberforce Project, which opposes abortion, says the drug shouldn't be promoted in rural areas, where women need better health care in general.
New Brunswick, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia have already approved the abortion pill.
