Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Vera Bergkamp reads the results of the vote in the Tweede Kamer about use of an abortion pill. 15 March 2022
Vera Bergkamp reads the results of the vote in the Tweede Kamer about use of an abortion pill. 15 March 2022 - Credit: Tweede Kamer / Tweede Kamer - License: All Rights Reserved
Health
Politics
abortion
abortion pill
Pregnancy
Tweede Kamer
Eerste Kamer
d66
Groenlinks
PvdA
VVD
FvD
Christen Unie
SGP
PVV
Fleur Agema
Edith Schippers
Tuesday, 15 March 2022 - 20:30
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Family doctors closer to being able to prescribe abortion pill

A sizable majority of MPs in the Tweede Kamer voted in favor of allowing general practitioners to prescribe a pill to women who wish to terminate a pregnancy. The proposal was submitted by D66, GroenLinks, Labor (PvdA) and the VVD. A total of 106 members voiced their support for the bill during a roll-call vote.

Out of 150 members, 24 voted against including members from FvD, ChristenUnie, SGP and PVV, except for Fleur Agema who voted with the majority. The bill, which modifies the existing law allowing abortions, still needs to pass the Eerste Kamer, the upper house of Dutch parliament.

If it passes, it would not obligate the doctors to prescribe the pill, but would give them the ability to do so. That would be the only alternative women in the Netherlands have to visiting one of 16 abortion clinics. A survey published in March showed that 58 percent of general practitioners would be willing to prescribe the pill, though most said they would require more training to properly handle the medication. Mandatory training is a requirement written into the bill.

It became clear in January that the proposal would win majority support in the Tweede Kamer. The health minister from 2010-2017, Edith Schippers, also wrote a letter in 2016 in support of giving family doctors the ability to prescribe pills to terminate a pregnancy after 44 days of gestation. The bill in its current form was submitted in 2018.

Should the change to the abortion law pass, it will be subject to review every seven years, according to an amendment from the CDA which also passed. Another amendment that passed was offered by SP, which proposed that the effect on abortion clinics should be monitored to ensure they can continue to remain open and provide care to women in the future.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Dutch gov't warns Oranje fans to avoid Paris protests ahead of Euro football match
  • Ninth person suspected of Peter R. de Vries murder to be arrested "soon"
  • Dutch, German & Belgian football submit joint bid for 2027 Women’s World Cup
  • Repairs start on badger-damaged tracks in Esch; Rail traffic could resume next week
  • Ferry connecting Norway and Groningen is moving to Germany
  • Deliveroo couriers are salaried employees, not freelancers, Supreme Court rules

Top stories

  • Deliveroo couriers are salaried employees, not freelancers, Supreme Court rules
  • 7-year-old girl killed in accident with Utrecht city bus; Boy, 5, seriously hurt
  • Amsterdam public transport to be scaled down from this summer: report
  • Households' disposable income grew 2% last year, despite inflation
  • Most NL residents want to scrap interest on student loans
  • Strike: No international trains to & from Germany on Monday; Some night trains cancelled

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content