Australia overturns morning after pill ban

CANBERRA, Australia, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- A private members' bill passed in Australia's Parliament has opened the way for the "morning after" RU486 abortion pill to be sold in the country.

The new legislation strips Health Minister Tony Abbott of his authority to ban RU486, which he has had since 1996, and gives control of the drug to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The bill was sponsored by a cross-party group of female senators, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Thursday.

The emotional debate was marked by personal confessions, including revelations from the sponsor of the bill, Democrats leader Lyn Allison, that she had undergone an abortion as a teenager in rural Victoria, The Australian newspaper reported.

Allison said she expected pharmaceutical companies would quickly begin petitioning the TGA for import approval, and the drug should be available within a year.