Lima, Peru, Sep 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Peru’s Health Minister, Pilar Mazzetti, tried to discredit the Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, last week arguing that only scientists can express an informed opinion about the abortifacient morning-after pill.
Several days ago, Mazzetti given an award by the International Federation of Planned Parenthood for introducing the pill into Peru. She had claimed that it was not abortifacient, even though the world scientific community has not made that determination.
The controversy surround the pill was reignited last week when a judge in Lima placed on injunction on distribution of the pill until the Ministry of Health implements a policy that adequately informs women about its effects and consequences.
In response to Mazzetti’s insistence on distributing the drug, Cardinal Cipriani said Peruvians were being manipulated and denied information. “The information and the science that is divulged must be clear. If people are given poison, that would be discrimination,” he said.