Despite public outrage at proposals to show abortion ads on TV, the UK’s first television advert for the morning-after pill is due to be screened tonight, after the 9pm watershed on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky.
Dominica Roberts, speaking on behalf of the ProLife Alliance stated:
‘We are absolutely outraged that without even waiting for the outcome of the Advertising Standards Code Review, Levonelle One Step will be promoted on evening TV, no doubt without even so much as a health warning, let alone an honest description of how the pill in question actually works.
It is advertised inaccurately as emergency contraception, when in fact its major function is to cause the abortion of an embryo that has already been conceived, not as suggested by the name to prevent conception.
Bayer Schering Pharma will laugh all the way to the Bank, as consumption of Levonelle One Step inevitably increases, but it will have little impact on the numbers of unplanned pregnancies and subsequent abortions.
History shows already that despite considerable increased use of this drug over the last decade, abortion rates in the UK just keep rising, reaching 7 million in 40 years of recorded statistics.
Young girls will be particularly susceptible to this advertising campaign, and it is foolish to imagine they do not watch TV after the 9.00 watershed.’
For media coverage see Daily Mail
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:17 am
And once again we are giving teens the go ahead to not practice safe sex and to abandon their sense of self respect. Whatever happened to condoms and waiting for someone you love?
Not only is the morning after pill dumbed down as ‘Plan B’ when it is clearly an early form of abortion, but it also does not protect against STD’s and fatal diseases such as AIDS.
April 26th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
This is terrible – what kind of stage have we reached as a society when the morning after pill is being marketed on TV as though it is some sort of lifestyle product? It’s disgraceful.
Children will definitely see this ad and think that it is normal, and the abortion rate will inevitably shoot up. It should be stopped. Advertisements are not compatible with attempts to reduce abortion rates.
April 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I heard that hundreds of parents rang in to complain about this ad and rightly so, how many families want to see morning after pill/abortion ads on TV? TV is supposed to be for entertainment or information, and this advert is neither. With its silly jingle and lack of information, it trivalises abortion on the one hand, and fails to give out any information at all.
April 26th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Rosie: If more people use this pill, the abortion rates will go down, because it stops the pregnancy from even happening in the first place.
I also doubt children will see this and think it’s okay. How about TV shows where people murder each other, which are freely available to kids? I don’t see a whole lot of children killing each other.
Children and teens won’t suddenly turn into sex obsessed rapists. That’s just stupid. I’ve had this pill before. One of my friends has too. This was even before the adverts came out. We already know about it, I’m just glad this advert is there so terrified young girls know that there is something there that won’t end in killing your actual baby or giving birth. The only scary part about it is the questions they ask you.. they’re kinda personal.