By Ceri Roberts, Jan 21, 2012

 

Advertising watchdogs ruled yesterday that private clinics that carry out abortions for profit will be allowed to promote their services on TV and radio.

Until now, restrictions have meant that only not-for-profit organisations have been allowed to advertise family planning services, including abortion.

This is why just one advert, by charity Marie Stopes International, has ever been aired on TV. The Daily Mail reports that when it was shown in 2010 it attracted more than 4,500 complaints.

There are more than 35 private hospitals in England that offer abortion services, with many also offering maternity and fertility services. However it is not known how many of these will choose to advertise or whether the adverts will be screened before the watershed.

The Telegraph reports that the two bodies responsible for Britain's advertising codes, The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), said it had become impossible to justify not allowing companies to advertise because the services they offer are legal.

Campaigners have warned that this could lead to a flood of advertising that risks trivialising abortion.

Mark Bhagwandin, from the pro-life charity Life, said: "This is an extremely disappointing decision.

"The abortion industry has a lot of money behind it and these companies will have the means to run prime time television and radio advertising campaigns.

"This will trivialise and commercialise the decision to terminate a baby, putting it on the same footing as choosing other products advertised on television.

"I have no doubt that we will see a rise in abortions as a result of this."

Matt Wilson, a spokesman for BCAP, said: "There is not going to be some sort of free-for-all saying 'come to us to get an abortion'.

"They are not there to promote abortion, they have to promote an array of services. It is about being responsible and commercial pro-lie pregnancy services will now be able to advertise too."

Do you think that TV adverts will influence a woman's decision to have a termination? Let us know below...