Research published in the British Medical Journal has claimed that Abortion pills bought online can be a safe “alternative” to travelling for abortion. Such pills can be used to induce abortion up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. However, the study was based on a non-random sample and on self-reporting by respondents. The main authors are involved in the distribution of the online pills. While the importing of abortion pills is strictly speaking illegal, the organisation behind the study claim they have sold the pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, to 1,636 women on the island of Ireland during the two years. In a follow-up survey, to which over 1000 women responded, “ 94.7 per cent reported successfully ending their pregnancy without surgical intervention. Seven women (0.7 per cent) reported receiving a blood transfusion and 26 (2.6 per cent) reported receiving antibiotics. No deaths . . . were reported by family, friends, the authorities or the media.” Ninety-three reported experiencing symptoms for which they were advised to seek medical attention, of whom 87 did seek attention. Of the five who did not report, none reported any adverse outcome.