In March 2020, the Department of Health announced, in an extraordinary double U-turn, that DIY at-home abortions would be made legal during the coronavirus lockdown. The decision has led to disastrous consequences, with several illegal ‘telemedicine abortions’ now being investigated and reports of women having died from taking the pills.
The Court of Appeal is now reviewing the government’s decision, after Christian Concern mounted a legal challenge. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, explains why we decided to challenge the decision.
“From the beginning,” she says, “we’ve been saying that taking the abortion pills at home could have serious consequences. It could be dangerous. And women have died – these are real life stories. … The reason for the judicial review is to hold the Department of Health to account for what they have done. They have torn up all of those protections for the woman and the child and we’ve seen that played out for real.”
