The health ministry is considering expanding the availability of the country's first approved abortion pill, the Mefeego pill pack, to allow clinics without inpatient facilities to use it.

Currently, the medication can only be administered in hospitals with inpatient capabilities. Following a national survey indicating no severe complications since its approval in April last year, the ministry is aiming to allow its use in outpatient clinics that can provide 24-hour care and coordinate with inpatient facilities for emergencies.

The ministry aims to propose the idea for discussion by its expert panel.

The Mefeego pill pack, developed by British pharmaceutical company Linepharma, is an oral medication for terminating pregnancies up to nine weeks. The treatment involves taking two types of pills 36 to 48 hours apart.

While some countries allow at-home use of the pill pack, Japan restricts it to hospitals, requiring patients to stay until the abortion is fully complete. This inpatient policy was established initially as a precaution due to Japan's lack of experience with the drug.

A government research team examined approximately 36,000 abortions conducted between May and October last year at 2,096 facilities nationwide. The Mefeego pill pack was used in 435 cases, with 39 resulting in surgical abortions due to incomplete termination.

However, crucially, no severe complications like heavy bleeding requiring transfusions or severe allergic reactions were reported.

Under the ministry’s new proposal, patients could go home without waiting at the clinic, provided they live within 16 kilometers and can return for a follow-up within a week to confirm the abortion.

Currently, the number of clinics that offer the Mefeego pill pack varies regionally.

“By expanding access to this medication, we aim to offer more (non-surgical) options and ensure equal access to abortion care nationwide,” a health ministry official said.

Translated by The Japan Times