AppId is over the quota
21 January 2012 Last updated at 13:24 GMT
Not-for-profit pregnancy clinics are already allowed to advertise on TV and radio Private clinics that charge for pregnancy services including abortions will be able to advertise on television and radio under new rules.The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) said there was no justification to bar clinics offering post-conception advice services (PCAS).
For-profit pregnancy centres can currently advertise in all media except television and radio.
The new regulations will take effect on 30 April.
BCAP said the adverts would be allowed as long as they were not harmful, offensive or misleading.
Pregnancy clinics that run on a not-for-profit basis are already allowed to advertise on television and radio.
'Robust protection'A statement from BCAP said: "BCAP decided to remove the television rule, which effectively prevents commercial PCAS offering personal advice from advertising, and the radio rule which effectively prevents only PCAS with local authority or NHS approval from advertising.
Continue reading the main storyThere is not going to be some sort of free-for-all saying 'come to us to get an abortion'”End Quote Matt Wilson Committee of Advertising Practice spokesman "BCAP understood that the removal of these restrictions would allow legally available PCAS to advertise, while maintaining robust protection for general audiences through existing rules which prevent broadcast advertising from causing harm or offence."
BCAP said it held a full public consultation last year but did not receive any response from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or the Department of Health.
Clinics that do not directly refer women for a termination will have to make that clear in their advertising under the new rules.
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) said this was on strong public health grounds.
CAP spokesman Matt Wilson said: "There is not going to be some sort of free-for-all saying 'come to us to get an abortion'.
"They are not there to promote abortion, they have to promote an array of services. It is about being responsible, and commercial pro-life pregnancy services will now be able to advertise too."
'Desensitise seriousness'However, Conservative MP Nadine Dorries said the move would make having a termination seem "as easy as having your lunch".
"What this is actually going to do is desensitise what abortion is and the seriousness of it," she told the Daily Mail.
"That may be great for articulate, well-educated women who know exactly what they want but the more vulnerable woman who is in emotional turmoil is going to be badly damaged.
"Broadcasters will be making profit through advertising revenue off the back of a service which ends life. It's appalling."
Both pro-life and groups which offer abortion advice say this ruling will not see a surge of advertisements on television because more abortions are carried out by groups on behalf of the NHS.
In 2010, 96% of abortions were funded by the NHS, 51% of which were carried out by independent clinics on behalf of the service.
'Right choice'The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), a pro-life group, said advertising would be dominated by groups such as the British Pregnancy Advisory Services (BPAS) and Marie Stopes as they receive funds from the NHS to carry out abortions.
The campaign group said there were not any commercial pro-life pregnancy services as all pro-life groups were charities who could not afford broadcast advertising.
The group added that "Marie Stopes and their ilk" should have to declare that they offer abortion or have a financial interest in it.
"This decision will only serve the abortion industry's money-spinning trade which hurts women through killing their unborn children," added a spokesman.
A spokeswoman for BPAS said: "Unlike anti-abortion agencies, BPAS believes that whatever decision a woman makes - be that to keep or end the pregnancy - is equally valid.
"We are a not-for-profit charity; our only interest is in a woman making the choice that is right for her."
Marie Stopes said this ruling did not affect them as it was a not-for-profit organisation.
CAP and BCAP are responsible for the self-regulation of the advertising industry under the watch of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
In 2010, the ASA rejected complaints about the first UK television advertisement by an abortion advisory organisation.
The advertising watchdog said the advert for Marie Stopes, which ran on Channel 4, did not mention or advocate abortion.
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