The recommendation over the weekend by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to the federal government of Australia for inclusion of RU 486 or mifepristone in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which is subsidised by taxpayers is creating controversy.

By its listing in the scheme, the price of the drug used for abortion could go down as low as $12 from the current $350, which could lead to more abortions in Australia. The recommendation by the committee is that women up to their seventh week of pregnancy be allowed to take mifepristone and its companion drug misoprostol.

In recommending the inclusion of RU486, the committee pointed out that it has similar effectiveness and lower cost compared with surgical termination of pregnancy.

The two drugs would cost only $5.90 each for women with a concession card and $36.10 for those without one.

However, federal Health Minister Tanya Pilbersek insisted the inclusion of the drug in the scheme would not lead to more abortions. She said the government would instead discuss with reproductive healthcare group, Marie Stopes International - the Australian sponsor of the drug - over pricing and safeguards to prevent more abortions.

Ms Pilbersek cited experience overseas when the drug - included in the World Health Organisation's list of essential medicines - did not cause higher termination of pregnancies even if its cost was reduced.

"Deciding to terminate a pregnancy is usually an extraordinarily difficult decision for a woman to make ... I think the notion that people will become more frivolous because of the introduction or availability of such drugs is just not borne out," she stressed.

She said the move is not political in nature designed to hit Opposition leader Tony Abbott who was against RU486 when he was health minister. But a bipartisan group of women legislators approved a conscience vote that overrules Mr Abbott's veto of the drug.

However, the Coalition leader assured Australians that if becomes prime minister he would not remove RU486 from the PBS but would heed the advice of technical expert.

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) group opposed the inclusion of the abortion drug on the PBS, citing questions over its safety, particularly reports from the Therapeutic Goods Administration that in 2012 over 800 women had adverse reaction to the drug, including one who died.

"Women facing unsupported pregnancies should be offered real support - not a chemical which is harmful to both them and their unborn child," ACL spokesperson Wendy Francis said.

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