The Abortion Pill : The Most Controversial Medical Discovery of Our Time - the French Unpregnancy Pill - As Described by the Scientist Who Created It

Rosenblum, Mort, Baulieu, Etienne-Emile

ISBN 10: 067173816X / ISBN 13: 9780671738167

Published by Simon & Schuster, 1991

Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 9387048-6

Synopsis:

English (translation)
Original French

Reviews: Dubbed the ``abortion pill'' by the media, and the ``death pill'' and a ``human pesticide'' by some of its opponents, RU-486 is, according to this thorough account by its developer, largely misunderstood. French endocrinologist Baulieu (Biochemistry/Paris-Sud) explains just about everything you ever wanted to know about RU- 486. It is, he says, a ``contragestive,'' operating in the middle ground between a contraceptive and a conventional abortion, able to counter gestation before pregnancy begins. He recounts the work that led to RU-486 and reveals the forces that have made its manufacturer, Roussel-Uclef, reluctant to market it (Baulieu receives no royalties from Roussel-Uclef on products resulting from his research). He clarifies what RU-486 does and how it does it, explaining step by step the procedure followed in France when a woman chooses this option. Baulieu also provides a quick survey of abortion laws and practices around the globe. Although he predicts that RU-486 will spread with relative ease to many industrialized countries, he is concerned about its reception in the US and the slowness of the World Health Organization to support its use in Third World countries. Essentially, Baulieu is an optimist, believing that the obstacles to RU-486 are irrational and will be overcome, that ``politics will give way to science.'' The final chapter considers the question of when human life begins and looks at some of the other possible medical uses for RU-486, while an appendix provides a brief lesson in the biochemistry of RU-486. A forceful and articulate argument for the reproductive freedom of women, and a clear presentation of how RU-486 can help to ensure safe exercise of that freedom. (Twenty-four b&w photographs--not seen.) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

French endocrinologist Baulieu, with the help of Associated Press senior correspondent Rosenblum, promotes the "abortion pill," RU-486, which remains unavailable in the U.S. Baulieu's research in sex hormones was instrumental in the synthesis of RU-486 over a decade ago; here, he explains how the pill disrupts hormone signals, thus either preventing fertilization or separating the fertilized egg from the uterine wall. Judged safe, affordable and nearly 100% effective in European testing--though not without discomfort--RU-486 constitutes an alternative to the "pain and mutilation" of "outmoded" methods of abortion, a boon to Third World nations, here ... and a possible boost to immunological defenses, says Baulieu. He skillfully counters detractors with statistical evidence of RU-486's success, with positive testimonies from former patients and evidence of international support. Although this informative primer is at times dry--Baulieu is a scientist, not a raconteur--it merits attention from both pro-choice and pro-life camps. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Deploring the serious health risk childbirth posed for so many women around the world, Baulieu, the French endocrinologist chiefly responsible for the "abortion pill" RU-486, became involved early on in fertility control research. Here he discusses his own background, the history of RU-486 research, and his company's worldwide struggle to market the drug. The United States is not the only seat of strong opposition to RU-486, and in almost every country "some obstacle beyond medicine stands between women and the freedom to shape their own lives." For libraries wanting comprehensive coverage of RU-486, Baulieu's international and scientific treatment of the contragestive is a nice complement to Lawrence Lader's politically impassioned and U.S.-oriented RU-486 ( LJ 4/15/91). Libraries forced to make a choice should select Lader's book for its American focus.
- Linda Knaack, Mt. Ida Coll., Newton, Mass.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Abortion Pill : The Most Controversial ...
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 1991
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Edition: First Edition.