Getting an abortion with the help of a robot? Meet "rAborta," an abortion pill dispensing robot
Record ID:
1639337
Getting an abortion with the help of a robot? Meet "rAborta," an abortion pill dispensing robot
- Title: Getting an abortion with the help of a robot? Meet "rAborta," an abortion pill dispensing robot
- Date: 30th September 2021
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 29, 2021) (REUTERS) ROBOT THAT DISPENSES ABORTION PILLS BEING PRESENTED AT NEWS CONFERENCE CLOSE UP OF ROBOT ON STAGE DURING NEWS CONFERENCE ATTENDEES AT NEWS CONFERENCE WOMAN OPERATING ROBOT WITH A MOBILE PHONE / ATTENDEE TAKING PHOTOS OF ROBOT ROBOT EXPELLING PILLS GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE CAMPAIGN POSTER ABOUT ROBOT THAT SUPPLIES ABORTION PILLS CLOSE UP OF ROBOT WEARING A GREEN SCARF (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CO-ORDINATOR OF ''WOMAN ON WEB'' ABORTION SERVICE, JENNIFER GONZALEZ, SAYING: "These legal loopholes are used so that women are able to have access to the drug, especially mifepristone, since misoprostol is a drug that can be obtained in local pharmacies, without a prescription. So, this drug is more controlled but since the robot is being controlled and it [pill] is being dispatched well... Yes, it is being controlled from Mexico City, it aligns with the criminal codes and the robot simply, rAborta, is a means of transportation. It is only taking the medicine to women." VARIOUS OF ACTIVISTS POSING WITH THE ROBOT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CO-ORDINATOR OF ''WOMAN ON WEB'' ABORTION SERVICE, JENNIFER GONZALEZ, SAYING: "Since the state does not guarantee that we can have access to safe services for the interruption of pregnancy, these types of dynamics must be created so that women are able to access a safe process, in the comfort of their homes and with very important local support networks of women." VARIOUS OF WOMAN OPERATING THE ROBOT USING A MOBILE PHONE VARIOUS OF ROBOT WEARING A GREEN SCARF AT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 14th October 2021 01:09
- Keywords: abortion activists mexico pills robot robotics techonology
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Information Technologies / Computer Sciences,South America / Central America,Science
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWRXW7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:"rAborta," a robot that dispenses abortion pills, was presented in Mexico City on Wednesday (September 29), after the commemoration of the global day of action for access to safe and legal abortion.
This peculiar robot is part of a campaign created by Women on Web, a telemedicine abortion care and information service.
"rAborta" is operated by medical professionals from Mexico City and its aim is to deliver abortion pills to women who live in states that have restrictive abortion laws. How does "rAborta" do the job?
This robot is simply a means of transporting the pill. It side-steps legal issues in different states without breaking the penal code.
"These loopholes are used so that women can have access to the drug, especially mifepristone, since misoprostol is a drug that can be obtained in local pharmacies without a prescription," explained Jennifer Gonzalez, Woman on Web co-ordinator.
Technically, "rAborta" is not breaking any laws since it is being controlled from Mexico City, where abortion is fully legal.
As part of the campaign, 11 robots will be launched in 11 states of Mexico that have yet to legalize the interruption of pregnancy, beginning on September 29.
In Mexico, only four states -Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Hidalgo- allow full and legal access to abortion. For women living outside these states, interrupting a pregnancy can be difficult and frequently they require accompaniment and guidance from activist networks.
(Production: Josue Gonzalez, Rodolfo Pena Roja, Andrea Rodriguez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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