The Mifepristone.

Abstract

The contribution draws the inspiration from the recent (October 2002) authorisation in Italy of the Ethics Committee of the Piemonte Region to the experimentation of the mifepristone – the active principle of the known abortive pills RU486 - at the “Sant’Anna” Hospital in Turin; it seizes the opportunity to go over again, in the introductory phase, the most meaningful stages of the history of the mifepristone.

The aim of this study is not a historical investigation, neither an evaluation of the real competencies of a regional Ethics Committee to authorise an experimentation, nor a comparison between surgical and medical abortion, rather to give a documented and careful information on thick omitted aspects, but important to have a thorough knowledge of this modern way of voluntary interruption of a developing human life inside the mother’s womb. Therefore, the Authors analyse the available data of the medical literature regarding the collateral effects, the complications, the risks of the abortion with mifepristone/ misoprostolo and the psychological consequences in the woman. Besides, the Authors analyse the juridical issues of the medical abortion and the applicability of the article 9 of the Italian law n. 194 of 1978 about the objection of conscience.