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Table 1 Changes to Health Canada restrictive measures for mifepristone-misoprostol medical abortion

From: Pharmacist dispensing of the abortion pill in Canada: Diffusion of Innovation meets integrated knowledge translation

Topic

Change

Date changed

Observed ingestion

Removed requirement for observation of mifepristone ingestion. The patient can take the medication where and when they choose.

Oct 2016

Training

Removed requirement for training for pharmacists.

May 2017

Training

Removed requirement for training for prescribers.

November 2017

Consent form

Removed requirement for a manufacturer consent form to be signed by the patient.

November 2017

Registration

Removed requirement for registration of prescribers or pharmacists with the manufacturer.

November 2017

Dispensing

Mifepristone can be dispensed directly to patients by a pharmacist or prescribing health professional, rather than the original requirement that a physician must dispense directly to the patient.

November 2017

Gestational age

Mifepristone-misoprostol may be used up to 9 weeks (63 days) from last menstrual period, rather than the original 7 weeks (49 days).

November 2017

Ultrasound

Removed requirement for mandatory ultrasound prior to prescribing.

April 2019

  1. Source: Munro et al. [13]