Students can currently obtain oral contraceptives, including the "morning after pill," and term bill them through the UHS pharmacy.

Melissa R. Moschella '02, president of Harvard Right to Life says the group opposes RU-486 both because it is a method of abortion and because they think it is a treatment that would be difficult for students to deal with.

"After taking the drug a student will naturally miscarry at any time and a college dorm or campus is not a suitable place for this to happen," she said. "It has the potential to be more disruptive if widely used than to just the person involved."

Even though UHS will not be offering RU-486 on site, by virtue of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval, both Rosenthal and Cohen said that Harvard students have the right to the new procedure, stressing that it is a private procedure.

"It isn't something people would go around sharing with lots of people, only confidantes and close friends," Rosenthal said.

The (FDA) requires doctors who prescribe RU-486 to have access to surgical services if complications occur but does not require those surgeons to be available at the place RU-486 is administered.

But Rosenthal said that whoever dispenses RU-486 needs to be able to follow the patient through three visits and should be the one to perform the surgical abortion if it becomes necessary.