Abortion by Telemedicine in Northern Ireland : Patient and Professional Rights across Borders

Title: 
Abortion by Telemedicine in Northern Ireland : Patient and Professional Rights across Borders
Journal Citation: 
68(1) NORTHERN IRELAND LEGAL QUARTERLY, 1-33 (2017)

This article addresses the extent to which telemedical abortion services are protected by transnational law, in particular, EU provisions on cross-border services. In places where the legal and political settlement regarding abortion are unstable, developments in technology offer a means to circumvent highly restricted access to termination procedures. Namely, women may be able to access treatment through the postal supply of abortion pills sourced through the internet. This article identifies two safe and effective telemedical services to women in Northern Ireland: Women on Web and Women Help. In providing a concise analysis of EU provisions, the article suggests that women may use this transnational legal toolkit to challenge regulatory arrangements that seek to limit their reproductive rights. In effect, the EU may provide a cross-border social solidarity framework that allows for alternative opportunities for legal contestation, particularly where other arguments have been unsuccessful against long-standing practice.