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Bill To Allow Abortion Pills On College Campuses Survives Crucial Vote

Mifeprex, formerly called ru-486, is the brand name of the abortion pill called mifepristone.
Michelle Del Guercio
Mifeprex, formerly called ru-486, is the brand name of the abortion pill called mifepristone.

Student health centers on college campuses in California provide a wide range of services.

But medication-assisted abortion is not one of them.

A bill, SB 320, that would require student health clinics at public colleges and universities to offer medication-assisted abortion passed the Senate Education committee by a 4-2 vote last week.

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Doctors say it is an option for women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant.

It consists of two different pills: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifespristone is usually administered at a clinic. The second medication, misoprostol, is typically taken at home 6-48 hours later.

College students who currently want to take advantage of the service have to go to an off-campus clinic.

Critics say by allowing the drugs at campus health centers, the measure would lower health and safety standards for students. But State Sen. Connie Layva (D-Chino), who wrote the bill, said that is just not true.

“Medicated-abortion is as safe as Tylenol and as safe as Viagra, and we don’t worry about people taking either of those two medications," she said.

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Under Layva’s measure, the costs of providing on-campus medication-assisted abortions would be covered by private groups.

The bill now moves onto the Senate Appropriations committee.

Bill To Allow Abortion Pills On College Campuses Survives Crucial Vote
A bill that would require all public college and university health centers in California to offer medication-assisted abortions is making its way through the state senate.