Urgent Call to Reinstate Telemedicine Medical Abortion in Moldova
We Stand Against the Ban on Telemedicine Abortion – A Dangerous Setback for Women’s Health and Rights
We, the undersigned organizations and advocates for reproductive health and rights, strongly condemn the decision of Moldova’s Minister of Health, Ala Nemerenco, to ban telemedicine medical abortion services. This harmful and unjustified restriction endangers women’s health, violates international medical guidelines, and rolls back essential reproductive rights.
Telemedicine medical abortion has been a safe, effective, and necessary service, particularly for women in rural areas and those facing barriers to in-person care. Since its introduction in Moldova in 2020, this service has provided vital healthcare access, ensuring that women can safely terminate pregnancies with proper medical guidance. The World Health Organization (WHO) explicitly recommends telemedicine medical abortion as a recognized standard of care, citing its safety, effectiveness, and ability to reduce costs and remove barriers to healthcare.
Telemedicine medical abortion was taking place safely without ultrasound or pre-abortion vaginal examination up to nine weeks of pregnancy in Moldova. The woman is counselled by a gynaecologist or family doctor remotely, via videoconference, and then purchases the necessary medications at a local pharmacy, based on a prescription sent over the phone to or at the pharmacy.
Statistics show that in 2023, 7,277 telemedicine medical abortions took place in Moldova, of which 1,462 were medical, 192 more than in the previous year.
Gynaecologist Rodica Comendant says this service began to be provided in 2020 by the Reproductive Health Training Center, which was funded by the Government of Canada to conduct a pilot study on the safety, acceptability, visibility, and degree of satisfaction of women regarding medical abortion via telemedicine. “We launched the study in March 2020, when the pandemic began, making it the only possibility for women to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, with hospitals closed. There were regions where only the mail arrived with the parcel in which we sent the medicines. We were able to help about 500 women over the course of the year.”
The service was then continued and was provided follows the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). “The latest WHO recommendations, from 2022, say that medical abortion via telemedicine is safe and effective, reduces costs and barriers, and must be integrated into the medical system,” said Dr Comendant.
Despite this, the Moldovan government has chosen to act against scientific evidence and human rights, basing its decision on an anti-abortion petition signed by just 18 individuals with no medical expertise. The false rationale they provided was not only inflammatory but disregarded the fundamental rights and healthcare needs of women. Why would the Moldovan government, knowing the excellent record of this service, prioritize anti-abortion ideology over medical science and women’s bodily autonomy?
The consequences of this ban:
- Increased health risks: Restricting access to legal abortion services does not reduce the need for abortion; it only forces women to seek unsafe methods.
- Barrier to healthcare access: Many women, especially in rural and underserved areas, relied on telemedicine abortion as their only option for timely and safe care.
- Violation of international health standards: The WHO’s 2022 guidelines reaffirm telemedicine abortion as a safe, effective, and necessary component of modern healthcare.
Our demands:
- Immediate reversal of the ban – The Moldovan Ministry of Health must restore access to telemedicine abortion services in line with WHO recommendations.
- Protection of women’s reproductive rights – Moldova must uphold its commitments to human rights, gender equality, and safe healthcare access.
- Scientific and evidence-based policies – Reproductive health policies must be driven by medical science and not by political or ideological influence.
- Regional and international oversight – We call on European institutions, WHO, UN bodies, and international human rights organizations to urge Moldova to reinstate telemedicine abortion and safeguard reproductive rights.
This decision is a major setback for women’s healthcare in Moldova and sets a dangerous precedent for other countries in the region. We urge the Moldovan government to prioritize the health, dignity, and rights of women over mis-information and ideological pressure.
THE PETITION:
We stand in solidarity with Moldova’s reproductive rights advocates and call on all allies—policymakers, international organizations, civil society and individuals—to join us in demanding the reversal of this unjust ban.
SIGN THE PETITION HERE AND SHARE IT WITH OTHERS:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VVpihUcGtnHFQFTmAn8oOMEBilgHUj1S9Wob2i3VHwY/edit?tab=t.0
- Latest date to sign – 11 February, Tuesday
- Who can sign – Both groups and individuals! The more support, the better.
- Required information – Please include name, organization (if applicable), and country. If signing as an individual, just your name, your role (e.g. SRHR expert, activists, advocate… ) and country.
- Please also post the petition and ask for signatures on your social media (please tag ASTRA Network on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook)
Groups who signed online as at 4-2-25:
-ASTRA Network
-Society for Feminist Analyses, Romania
-Freedom of Choice, Slovakia
-Sarajevo Open Centre, Bosnia and Herzegovina
-Foundation for Women and Family Planning FEDERA, Poland
-PATENT Association, Budapest, Hungary
-Association HERA XXI MA, GEORGIA, IPPF EN
-The Society for Education on Contraception and Sexuality – SECS, Romania
-Supporting Abortions for Everyone – SAFE
-Women’s Resource Center, Armenia
-FILIA Center, Romania
-Pariter, Croatia
-Youth for Youth, Romania
-Asociația SEXUL vs BARZA, Romania
-Women Help Women, International
-Reproductive Health Training Center, Moldova
-Women’s Room, Croatia
-Iele-Sânziene Association, Romania
-International Planned Parenthood Federation, European Network
-International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion
SEE ARTICLE ON RADIO LIBERA EUROPA HERE, by Silvia Rotaru: The Ministry of Health banned medical abortion via telemedicine, after an anti-abortion petition, 31 January 2025.
SEE STATEMENT BY ASTRA HERE: Urgent Call to Reinstate Telemedicine Medical Abortion in Moldova, 4 February 2025.