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Abortion pill The Family Planning Centers of Hawaii will offer women the abortion pill RU-486, or mifepristone, as an option to surgery, starting in a few months.
coming to isles
The prescription drug, already
in use in 13 countries, is
approved by the FDA for
use in the United StatesFamily-planning turf battle
By Helen Altonn
Star-BulletinThe state's QUEST health care program also will cover costs of the pill for members if prescribed by a doctor, as it does now for surgical abortions, said state Human Services Director Susan Chandler.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave approval Thursday for the prescription drug to be used in the United States. It is already in use in 13 countries.
"In a few months, we'll be up and running," said Barry Raff, executive director of the Family Planning Centers. The clinics must first establish protocols for the drug's use and obtain certain equipment.
Some of the clinics don't have ultrasound, required to detect ectopic or tubal pregnancies which can't be aborted with the pill.
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America participated in clinical trials of the drug.
Federation president Gloria Feldt called it "the most significant technological advance in women's reproductive health care since the birth control pill."
"It's another choice for women," Raff said. It's also an earlier one, he added.
Mifepristone must be used in the first 49 days, or seven weeks of pregnancy. The clinics do trimester surgical abortions between seven and 12 weeks.
Three visits to a doctor or clinic are needed for RU-486. The first pill is followed in two days by a drug that causes uterine contractions to expel the embryo. A follow-up is needed in two weeks to ensure the abortion is complete.
"For some women, they'd rather terminate the pregnancy in the privacy of their home," Raff said. "Others would choose to have a relatively quick surgical procedure and be done."
He said RU-486 probably will be more important on the mainland than it is in Hawaii because 85 percent of counties there don't have providers offering surgical abortions.
"We have a sufficient number of providers here, private OB/GYN providers, as well as family-planning centers and other health centers around the state," he said.
The National Abortion Federation said it may cost a little more than a surgical procedure because of the cost of the pill, the number of office visits and ultrasound, Raff said. But it isn't known yet what the pills will cost.
Family Planning Centers charges $425 for surgical abortions at its Oahu clinic and $525 at its Maui and Big Island clinics.
Most abortions are paid for by the clients themselves or QUEST, he said. "We're lucky QUEST pays. Less than 20 states in the country pay for abortions."
Discussions were held in Honolulu recently to resolve a turf battle over family-planning services. Family-planning
turf battleAttending were representatives of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, its San Diego and San Francisco affiliates and the Family Planning Centers of Hawaii, said Barry Raff, executive director of the Family Planning Centers.
"We had real productive discussions," Raff said. "The future looks very positive for a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Hawaii."
The Family Planning Centers was Planned Parenthood of Hawaii until two years ago, when it was disaffiliated in a dispute with the federation over mainland governance and management of local activities.
Problems arose a few months ago when Planned Parenthood of San Diego planned to expand to the Hawaii "turf," as the federation calls it, in competition with Family Planning Centers.
The Hawaii centers sought affiliation with Planned Parenthood of Golden Gate in San Francisco. Raff said all options for Hawaii were explored and "we look forward to announcing the results in a few months."
Helen Altonn, Star-Bulletin