National abortion group begins education effort
Are you interested in learning more about the use of mifepristone when it becomes available in the United States? Educational material in a variety of formats is being designed by the Washington, DC-based National Abortion Federation (NAF) to coincide with the drug’s anticipated approval later this year by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The Danco Group in New York City, a company in charge of marketing the drug, says efforts are geared toward receiving FDA approval by the end of 1999.
"We are still hoping to introduce the drug by the end of this year, providing the FDA review goes smoothly," reports Danco spokeswoman Heather O’Neill. The firm was granted the U.S. manufacturing license from the Population Council, a nonprofit research group in New York City concerned with reproductive health.
Leading medical experts with experience in mifepristone and other forms of early medical abortion are involved in developing a training manual, videotape, and CD-ROM for provider use. They will coincide the material’s release with the introduction of mifepristone, says Vicki Saporta, NAF’s executive director.
NAF now has about 100 facilities around the country offering early medical abortions using methotrexate, reports Saporta. Many NAF-affiliated clinics also are involved in the current mifepristone trial coordinated under the direction of Eric Schaff, MD, associate professor of family medicine and clinical pediatrics in the department of family medicine at the University of Rochester (NY).
"A number of our providers have experience with medical abortion and will be providing services once mifepristone is approved by the FDA and available in this country," says Saporta. "Hundreds of thousands of women around the world have been using mifepristone safely and effectively for so many years that it is time, certainly, that it came to this country."
Satellite training eyed
Once the manual, videotape, and CD-ROM are complete, NAF is planning one-day training sessions in the year 2000 to coincide with various regional and national medical meetings. These sessions will be for current abortion providers and those who plan to offer the service, says Saporta. Training will be made available for physicians, midlevel clinicians, and nurses, as well as counselors, administrators, and other individuals who will be involved in the delivery of medical abortion.
Education will be made available through the Internet and possibly through satellite-based technology, Saporta says. "Train the trainer" courses also will be held to further the educational effort.
NAF is the only organization that regularly provides certified medical education abortion training for health care professionals, Saporta says, "so we are the natural organization to best develop these materials and to do the training for the medical professionals in this new technology."
Ads, hotline offer help
This year has seen the advent of public service announcements in several major cities to put a human face on the women who choose abortion and the health care providers who perform such medical services. One ad uses the headline "Sister, daughter, mother. A few names women who’ve had an abortion actually deserve to be called." The ads were introduced in March in Washington, DC, and have appeared in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Miami, and New York City.
Both ads promote NAF’s toll-free hotline — (800) 772-9100 — which operates from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. Canadian callers can dial (800) 424-2280. The hotline has been in place for more than 20 years but had its capacity doubled this year in light of the organization’s stepped-up public awareness campaign.
"We just mailed out 20,000 hotline introductory kits to medical professionals across the country and different organizations that refer and counsel women so they know that there’s a place where women can call to get unbiased information, referrals, and the help they need," Saporta states.
Counseling, referrals are available
The hotline offers options counseling, referrals to qualified providers, help with funding, and information on dealing with individual state abortion restrictions.
"We have actually gotten involved with case management for victims of rape, incest, and life endangerment, as well as intervening with Medicaid when it doesn’t pay," says Saporta. "We have helped people with transportation to different cities or with alternative living arrangements if they are battered or homeless."
The ads also list NAF’s Internet site — www. prochoice.org — which carries much of the information covered through the telephone hotline.
"We hear from women all the time that as they look at our Web site and various Web sites, that we are one of the very few places that they have actually been able to get the information and the details that they wanted and needed," Saporta notes.
When mifepristone is introduced, Saporta expects the hotline and Web site to be focal points for disseminating information on the new technology. "Women are going to want to know where they are able to receive that care," she notes. "Women will be able to call and find out about all of their options, including medical abortion, and if that is what they choose, to be referred to a quality provider."
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