(FT Asia Intelligence Wire 1999) The European Drug Agency chose not to market the drug in Italy, Ireland, and Portugal. It has also recently been reported that Israel granted a license to market RU 486, and that Exelgyn has also registered RU 486 in both Switzerland and Russia. The European Company Exegyn is also preparing to apply for registration in Canada. RU 486 has numerous projected countries for usage such as: Kenya, India, South Africa, and Cuba, but the introduction of RU 486 to these countries is still unknown, due to the number of visits that the female has to continuously make to her doctor. (Population Council and Wellcome Trust 1998).
Mifepristone has only one use for our society today, and that is to abort a fetus. .
In most cases, women who use the drug, RU 486, have an unwanted pregnancy as a result of either unprotected sex, or their method of prevention failed. There are three required doctors" visits when using RU 486 to abort an unwanted or unplanned fetus. .
During the first visit the patient is notified of the risks and benefits, and at this time she is also given her first dose. The drug causes the early developing embryo to part itself off of the uterine wall. In essence the drug causes a woman to have a miscarriage. But when it is used only by itself, often times it does not result in a complete abortion. After the first visit the woman is asked to visit her doctor a second time two days later to receive the drug prostaglandin. Prostaglandin increases contractions in the uterus, which help to expel the tissue from the uterus. In most cases, approximately four hours after taking prostaglandin the embryo is expelled. Although, most women expel the embryo at this time, not all women do, this is why they are asked to return for a third and final visit. This last visit is to ensure that the embryo is not in the uterus. If the embryo is found to be in the uterus a surgical abortion is performed.