Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 23, 1994                   TAG: 9405230050
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: associated press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

SHALALA SAYS PILL WON'T ADD TO ABORTIONS

Shalala, speaking on ABC's "This Week With David Brinkley," said she was hopeful the Food and Drug Administration would approve the drug.

"Abortion is legal in the United States," she said. "Keeping RU-486 out of this country is really doing a disservice to those who ought to have access to safe and, we hope, rare abortions."

She said the drug, if approved, would not become a cheap or easy way for women to obtain abortions. A woman would need to visit a physician three times: to get the pill, to return for a second pill two days later, and to be examined later for infection.

"It will be an alternative to surgery but there is no reason to believe that it will increase the number of abortions or that women will choose this as a substitute easily. I would not be glib about RU-486 and I think we've been very responsible, very careful as we've spoken about it."

She said the ban against using Medicaid money for abortion except in cases of rape, incest or a threat to the life of the mother will apply to RU-486. - Associated Press