limited circle of medical researchers. Theologians, amongst others, dismissed his programme as hypothetical nonsense. When we see how quickly events have overtaken systematic moral discernment, it is obvious that we must not allow such complacent inaction to occur again. If we do not unambiguously lay the foundations for the future protection of human dignity, integrity and responsibility, we are likely to stumble down the path of pragmatic short-term reactions to profoundly difficult questions. Unless we start laying those foundations now, we are in danger of falling, almost by inadvertence, into permitting deeply immoral solutions, or at best approaches which are incomplete or incoherent.10
Kenneth Clarke gave notice to Parliament that for the future the Department of Health intends to encourage the development of both experimental techniques and innovations for abortionism. Among these, he has allowed clinical trials to take place in Liverpool, in my constituency, of the French abortion drug RU486. Commenting on this refined form of chemical warfare the French journal, Le Quotidien du Medicine,11 has reported that Roussel, the manufacturer, has sent a circular to abortionists in France telling them that one heart attack and another cardiac anomaly have occurred in women after they have undergone an RU486 operation. The company also reported knowledge of more than 3000 further cases of 'less serious' side effects, stating that women must be assessed for risk of cardiac problems before taking the drug and the procedures must be tightened and that 'resuscitation equipment must be available and ready for use whenever the drug is administered'. In the Nursing Mirror,12 Professor Allen Templeton, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Aberdeen University stated: 'The main problem [with RU486] was infrequent but severe haemorrhage.' Other problems included nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, fever and infections. And The Pharmaceutical Journal13 said that: '... studies of women using RU486 have shown [they have] more guilt and regret than those using surgical methods.' One of the greatest challenges for the future will be how society provides healing and help for those women who have been falsely encouraged or pressurised into having an abortion - often by irresponsible men using their sexuality without a willingness to accept the consequences. Unless we persevere with our opposition to current laws and attitudes, the future will hold out bleak prospects for handicapped and disabled people. Some of the most vocal advocates of ramps for wheelchairs at public buildings will be in the vanguard of urging the use of amniocentesis tests and chorionic vilus sampling (a method of testing for disability which can be carried out much earlier than amniocentesis) as the best way of dealing with handicap. Debbie Hill, whose disabled son Timothy died aged six months, said: 'In his short time with us, Timothy brought to us a great deal of love. Parents like us have a choice. They can