BCAP Abortion Consultation

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice is consulting on whether to relax the rules on advertising abortion services, which would enable commercial abortion providers to advertise on television for the first time (currently only not-for-profit providers may advertise).

Christian Concern has responded to the consultation and our full response can be read here.

Please respond to this consultation to stop abortion television advertisements from encouraging vulnerable women to have abortions.

Please read the BCAP proposals here and e-mail your response to codepolicy@cap.org.uk before 8 August 2011.

Responses can also be submitted by post to:

Code Policy
Committee of Advertising Practice
Mid City Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6QT

We suggest making the following points in your own words:

• The provision of abortion services cannot be compared with or equated in any respect to other commercial services, since abortion involves the termination of a human life. It is a risky and serious medical procedure which is not directly available to the public but which requires the signatures of two doctors. Because of this, and because the practice of abortion remains highly controversial in society, advertising is not the appropriate medium for this procedure.

• The proposals would allow those with a financial incentive to advertise abortion procedures directly through television to vulnerable women, some of whom may be under pressure from others to have an abortion or may be in a distressed or emotional state. This is unacceptable as women should be protected from the adverse mental and physical health risks of abortion. Without a requirement on advertisers to provide information on the health risks of abortion, any abortion advertisements are likely to be misleading or harmful under s319 of the Communications Act 2003.

• The proposals create an uneven playing field since only major abortion providers possess the financial resources to widely advertise on television. Given how politically sensitive the issue of abortion is, this appears not to be equitable, and could be a breach of both section 321 of the Communications Act 2003 and section 7 of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code). These provisions specifically require BCAP to refrain from sanctioning advertisements of a political nature which could potentially influence public opinion on a matter of public controversy.

• Rule 11.x appears to be biased as it would require pro-life pregnancy advice centres to state in advertisements that they do not offer abortions, yet abortion providers will not be required to state that they do not offer advice on any alternatives other than abortion to women with unwanted pregnancies.

• Advertisements for abortion are likely to be in breach of section 11.21 of the BCAP Code which does not permit the advertisement of medical products or services available only on prescription. Abortion is likely to fall within this category as it is similarly not available on demand.

• Abortion advertisements are also likely to be in breach of section 4.2 of the BCAP Code which states that advertisements must not “cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards”.