The RU-486, more commonly known as the abortion pill,’ is not a real cause for concern in health safety or increasing numbers of abortion, an SIUC Wellness Center coordinator says.

The RU-486, set to be available to American women by middle to late 1997, is in its final stages of being approved by the FDA.

RU-486 has been used by 200,000 European women and has been the focus of debate between abortion supporters and abortion opponents.

Desiree Mills, sexual education coordinator for the Wellness Center, said the abortion pill gives women another choice as far as abortion is concerned.

It gives women alternatives as far as rights to choose, she said.

Although many women are glad the pill is finally arriving in America, some say its appearance is long overdue.

Jennifer Frisch, a graduate student in educational psychology from Waltonville, said she believes the pill took so long to get to America because Americans have so many problems with the abortion issue.

Frisch said the abortion pill is a good idea because it is more private and not as stressful on women.

That procedure (abortions) is emotionally straining, she said. This way, they can do it on their own, and they might not feel as embarrassed.

Frisch said she does not believe the pill will cause women to be less careful when having sex.

Abortion is still a traumatic experience, she said. There are still side effects with the abortion pill, and it takes a while to work.

The long term side effects of the pill are not yet known.

Karen Kreuder, a senior in psychology from Albany, said the pill gives women another option for abortion, and said she does not believe the abortion pill will lead to more abortions.

If women are going to do it, they are going to do it anyway, she said. Women are not stupid. They still have to go through all of the emotional processes no matter if they do it with the pill or surgically.

Mills said although women have the right to choose, they should check out all of the risks involved in using the pill or any method of abortion.

Just because the FDA says it’s safe doesn’t mean it’s safe, Mills said. Women need to check out what the health risks are and weigh their options as consumers.

Mills said although some people are concerned about the abortion pill increasing the number of abortions, she does not believe that will be the case.

I don’t believe the number of abortions will increase because the pill is not for every woman, she said. I don’t believe women will be less careful either. The morning after pill has been available for years, and women haven’t abused them. I don’t think they will abuse the RU-486 option.

Mills said the morning after pill is a series of pills women take the night after they have had unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy, while the abortion pill aborts an actual fetus.

While some people believe that the abortion pill is a good idea and should be made available to American women, others disagree.

Don Wooters, director of the Christian Campus Ministry, said the abortion pill is wrong and should not be allowed in the United States.

I think it’s a mistake, and abortion is morally wrong in the first place, he said. There has not been enough testing (by the FDA) to approve it anyway.

Wooters said he believes the abortion pill will increase the number of abortions each year.

The pill makes it (abortions) more convenient and accessible, he said. It’s probably true that the easier abortions become, the less forethought there will have to be in respect to sex.

The FDA is withholding final approval of the pill until it receives more information on how the drug will be manufactured and labeled.