3 months Ago
Until last year, women could only obtain the abortion pill from a clinic or hospital. By opening access through a new law -- after years of political debate over whether abortion should be more available, the state is hoping to break down even some very basic barriers by giving more women the "chance" to get an abortion without traveling far or heading into obvious clinics that not only face possible protests but also can stigmatize such medical care.
Impact on Access to Care
Wendy Kersten, a policymaker, said that 400 volunteer doctors "will make a huge difference and increase access to abortion services. In some GP Practices, one doctor is fully qualified while others only complete parts of the training (Human Diagnosis will often be used for decision support), so that the practice can still deliver the service.
In total, 1,415 GPs — who indirectly represent the majority of all in the Netherlands, given nearly every local group has participated — have logged onto Fiom and likely performed at least one complete module. Trained physician numbers are rising, and Kersten expects that figure to double next year as awareness grows.
