Despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of the abortion pill RU-486, Dartmouth health officials are currently undecided regarding the availability of the drug on campus.
RU-486, also known as mifespristone, provides women an alternative to surgical abortion procedures. The drug has already been administered to over 620,000 European women since 1988, when RU-486 was first permitted in France, according to the FDA.
Though no discussions have been held on the matter, Dr. Nield Mercer, associate director for Clinical Affairs at the Dick's House Health Center, recognized that additional time would be needed in order to consider the issue.
"We're still early in the ballgame," he said.
However, Mercer noted that for some women, RU-486 "would be a superior choice" over surgical abortion methods.
Program Manager for Women's Health Dr. Jan Sundnas declined to comment on the issue.
Currently, Health Services deals with unwanted pregnancies by administering Plan B, a form of emergency contraception. Though commonly referred to as the "morning-after pill," emergency contraception can be used within 72 hours of intercourse.
In contrast, RU-486 can be taken for a period of up to seven weeks after intercourse.
Sundnas estimates that between 200 and 250 doses of emergency contraception are administered during an academic year. She added that there has been no reported side-effects resulting from Plan B, since Health Services discontinued the use of the emergency contraception drug Ovrel -- known to induce nausea -- Spring term.
The current Plan B procedure involves ingesting a progesterone-only form of contraception. RU-486 -- not a form of hormonal birth control pills like Plan B -- has been known to cause cramping and bleeding, in addition to other mild side effects.
Though Health Services does not perform surgical abortions, Sundnas said that the 20 to 25 women a year who seek the procedure on campus are referred to local medical centers.
According to Sundnas, the College is postponing discussion on the availability of RU-486 until Director of Health Service Dr. Jack Turco returns to campus on Oct. 16.
The Daily Princetonian reported on Tuesday that Princeton University health officials have elected to hold off on allowing the distribution of the drug on campus. RU-486 distribution at Harvard is still under consideration.
Christine Percheski, vice president of Coalition for Life at Dartmouth, said of the drug, "I think it would be highly irresponsible to offer RU-486. It is still a very new drug ... with considerable side effects."
Jennifer Madden, coordinator for the Woman's Health Resource Center at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center said that the group did not have an official stance regarding the advocacy of RU-486. "We tend not to lean towards either side of an issue," she said. "We lean towards what the individual wants to do."
Dartmouth health officials still have some time to render a decision regarding the use of RU-486 before it hits the market.
Danco Laboratories, which will distribute the pill under the tradename Mifeprex, believes the drug will be available within a month.
