Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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1205. To ask the Minister for Health whether any independent research has been undertaken into the impact and effect of telemedicine abortion in Ireland since its introduction in the spring of 2020. [2863/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In September 2021, my Department requested the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) to undertake a review of the operation of the revised Model of Care for Termination of Pregnancy Services, from a clinical and patient safety perspective. The purpose of the review was to consider whether the revised Model of Care should be retained.

This review was completed at the end of 2021 and submitted to my Department. The review stated that there were no serious adverse events reported to the HSE related to remote consultations for termination of pregnancy.

Overall, this review concluded that including remote consultation as part of the termination of pregnancy service is safe, effective and acceptable to both service users and providers. The outcome of this review was reflected in the decision to confirm the revised Model of Care as the enduring Model of Care.

There is also published international literature concluding that medical abortion using telemedicine is safe, acceptable and improves access to care.