IPPF recognizes and believes that all persons have the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications and, therefore, commits itself to the following:1

10.1 All persons shall have the benefit of and access to available reproductive health care technology, including that related to infertility, contraception and abortion, where to withhold access to such technology would have harmful effects on health and wellbeing.

10.2 All persons shall be entitled to protection from and information on any harmful effects of reproductive health care technology on their health and well-being.

AND further commits itself to taking all steps to ensure the attainment of the following right:

10.3 All clients of sexual and reproductive health services have the right to access all reproductive technologies that are safe and acceptable.

Notes
1. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, Art. 15.1: “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone ... (b) to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications.”

The right can be used to address issues relating to:

• Access to the benefits of all available reproductive health technologies, including newer methods of contraception, abortion and infertility treatment, provided those technologies are safe and acceptable
• ‘Use it or lose it’ patent provisions, which encourage companies to maximize the use of technologies they have developed
• Gender-sensitive medical research
• Provision of information on any harmful effects of reproductive health care technology

Facts & figures

Mifepristone has been registered for use as medical abortion in most of Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. This expands a woman’s options when having decided to terminate a pregnancy.1

In Poland, medical abortion has not been legalized but there is some information to show that it is used. Lack of proper training of physicians and mid-level medical personnel, combined with a lack of reliable information on this method, may jeopardize the health of women using medical abortion improperly.2

Studies in sub-Saharan Africa found that only 25-54 per cent of new contraceptive users were fully informed about side-effects.3

Scientists in Australia have developed a reversible male contraceptive - a combination of a four monthly implant containing testosterone and a three monthly injection of progestin. A study in 55 couples reported no pregnancies over a year. The aim is to now produce a single injection containing testosterone and a progestin which can easily be given by local doctors on a 3-4 monthly basis.4

1 Jones, R. K. and Henshaw, S. K. (2002) ‘Mifepristone for Early Medical Abortion: Experiences in France, Great Britain and Sweden’ Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health Vol 34 No. 3
2 Center for Reproductive Rightshttp://www.crlp.org/ww_eu_polandmedab.html
3 UNFPA (1997) The State of World Population p31
4 Anzac Research Institute (5 October 2003) Press Release