RU-486, the drug that offers an alternative to surgical abortion, will be available to doctors before the end of the month, but doctors at University

Health Services (UHS) remain undecided over whether to prescribe it to students.

Legal in parts of Europe for over a decade, RU-486 was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) on Sept. 29.

According to UHS Director Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59, UHS "will be following the advice of the gynecologists at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston" as to whether and how it should be offered.

The treatment plan involves three separate visits to a doctor over two weeks, and the drug can only be dispensed by a doctor or a supervised health care practitioner. It will not be available from pharmacies, and women must agree to a surgical abortion if the drug fails, since it can cause birth defects in the fetus.

Students currently have access through the UHS pharmacy to oral contraceptives including the "morning-after pill," and their purchase can be term-billed as "pharmacy charges." It is possible that this option will be extended to cover RU-486 if it is offered.

UHS also provides counseling to students who become pregnant, as do peer counseling groups on campus. It does not, however, perform surgical abortions.

Those who decide to have an abortion are referred to approved local clinics. The cost is partly subsidized by UHS through the Student Health Services fee.