Sir, We are deeply concerned that the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has failed to give full information to a House of Commons select committee over scientific evidence regarding lowering the upper limit for abortion. Parliament leans heavily on the RCOG for guidance and the committee’s report will be referred to by MPs seeking to amend the law on abortion as part of the Human Tissue and Embryos Bill, which is due to be announced on November 6.

Since 1997 the RCOG has consistently denied that foetuses can feel pain earlier than 26 weeks, without acknowledging that among experts there is no consensus. A major review on foetal pain published by Professor Anand, a world authority on the management of neonatal pain, argues that the RCOG position is based on a number of false or uncertain presuppositions. The RCOG has issued a press release claiming it keeps a “watching brief on new scientific developments and advancements in foetal medicine, and continue to examine emerging evidence from the international scientific community about fetal awareness and fetal pain” but are “unaware of the work of Dr Anand or any other work that contradicts the basic findings of \ review”.

For the RCOG to report the studies of researchers who share their official position, while ignoring other leading researchers with contrary views, is at least misleading and at worst a serious abuse of power. It seems bizarre that the RCOG has not made more of an effort to find out more about contrary evidence before making such a bold public statement.

Dr Robert Balfour
Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist

Dr John Etherton
Board member, FSRH of the RCOG

Dr N. A. B. Simpson
Senior lecturer and honorary consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology

Dr Trevor Stammers
Lecturer in healthcare ethics

Dr Alex Bunn
General practitioner

Dr Peter Saunders
Christian Medical Fellowship

Andrea Minichiello Williams
Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship

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