Latest news with #KatherineO'Brien
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'7 police officers raided my house while I tried to resuscitate my baby'
A leading abortion charity shares the gut-wrenching stories of three women who have been accused of having an illegal abortion under Britain's "archaic" abortion laws On the back of an MPs debate over an e-petition calling for the decriminalisation of abortion in the UK, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has shared three harrowing cases of women affected under what have been described by campaigners as 'archaic' laws around women's bodily autonomy. Each year, around 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK, according to the NHS. One was born to Sammy*, who went into premature labour at home. But as she resuscitated her baby, seven police officers searched her bins, before the paramedics had even arrived. Sammy was then interviewed by police under caution for a suspected illegal abortion and her phone and computer were seized. Her home was sealed off 'like a crime scene'. She was left in the clothes she was admitted to hospital in, and was barred from contacting her partner. Despite providing forensic samples that did not show the presence of abortion drugs, she remained under police investigation for a year. Her baby had luckily survived despite the traumatic birth. However, Sammy was only allowed limited, supervised contact with them. As horrific as this scenario sounds, it's one that has been made possible through the current laws surrounding abortion in the UK. The Abortion Act was introduced in 1967 and allowed women to terminate a pregnancy up to 28 weeks with the certification of two doctors. In 1990, the limit was changed to 24 weeks. Meanwhile, the punishment for abortion can be severe. Abortion laws in the UK still fall under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which means that undergoing an abortion without the permission of two doctors, or after 24 weeks, can carry a life sentence. In the 10 years leading up to April 2022, England and Wales recorded at least 67 cases of procuring an illegal abortion, according to data obtained by The Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. Katherine O'Brien, a spokesperson for BPAS, says that more than a hundred women have been investigated by the police over recent years. She told The Mirror: "These include women who have experienced a late miscarriage or a stillbirth, and women who were pressured to take abortion medication by abusive partners. Women have been arrested straight from hospital wards, their homes searched, their children taken away, all under our cruel and archaic abortion law." In December 2024, an e-petition calling for the decriminalisation of abortion in the UK. It received 102,855 signatures, before being brought to the UK parliament in April. The petition stated: 'I am calling on the UK government to remove abortion from criminal law so that no pregnant person can be criminalised for procuring their own abortion.' These laws affect women at all different stages in life. For example, Laura*, already the mother to a toddler, was studying at university when she pled guilty to ending her own pregnancy using illicit medication. She was told by prosecution that if she didn't plead guilty she would likely be jailed for life. She ended up being sentenced to more than two years in prison. She reported to BPAS at the time that she was in a physically, sexually, and emotionally abusive relationship, and that her partner told her not to go to the doctor. After she was arrested, he told her that he would kill her if she told anyone he was involved. He was never investigated by the police. Meanwhile, Sophie* was just a teenager when she was arrested at midnight and held in custody for 19 hours. She was suspected of ending her own pregnancy using illicit medication. In fact, the police raid was the first time her parents learnt that she had been pregnant. She was described by the prosecution as 'being vulnerable'. Despite this, she faced two trials. Throughout the proceedings, she maintained that she had had a traumatic stillbirth after only finding out she was pregnant after 24 weeks. The charge that she had ended her own pregnancy was dropped, but only after six years, and she still received a criminal record.
Cosmopolitan
27-05-2025
- Health
- Cosmopolitan
You thought abortion was legal in the UK? Your questions on our campaign to decriminlise abortion answered.
Last week, we, alongside UK abortion provider BPAS, launched a powerful new campaign, to decriminilise abortion in England and Wales. While safe and legal abortions are available to most in the UK - roughly one in three women will have one in their lifetime - there's been a worrying rise in criminal cases being brought under a Victorian law dating back to 1861. With support from 30+ healthcare and women's rights organisations, including The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, MSI Reproductive Choices and The Fawcett Society we are calling for abortion to be removed from this archaic legislation. Put simply: we believe that abortion is a healthcare issue, not a criminal one, and no woman should face up to life imprisonment for ending a pregnancy. We also want to ring-fence our rights. With powerful anti-choice groups gaining traction in the UK, we need, now more than ever, to protect our access to abortion services. Getting behind our campaign is simple, all we need you to do is email your MP, with our simple to use template, found here. But, if you have any questions surrounding the campaign we're keen to hear them. We have taken the most common ones and answered them, with the help of experts who work directly in the field, below… It is, but only under set conditions. The 1967 Abortion Act sets out grounds and circumstances in which women can access legal abortion care, such as each request for an abortion having to be approved by two doctors. 'Any woman who ends a pregnancy outside of the terms of the Abortion Act - for example, if she uses pills bought online - can face up to life imprisonment,' explains Katherine O'Brien from BPAS. 'This is under a law that was passed in 1861, a time when women weren't even allowed to vote.' In the past three years, in England, six women have appeared in court charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancy, outside of the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act. Most recently, we saw Nicola Packer, who had been prescribed abortion medicine over the phone, in November 2020 (in the midst of the pandemic). The legal limit for taking medication, at home, to end a pregnancy is ten weeks but she was charged by police with "unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing" with the "intent to procure a miscarriage". The prosecution argued that Nicola knew she had been pregnant for longer than that, and therefore broke the law. Nicola was found not guilty and was cleared by a jury. But, the relentless pursuit, questioning and having to face the courts was incredibly traumatic for her. She was arrested in hospital, by uniformed police officers, the case took four-and-a-half years to reach court and, when it did, her sex life and other private details were splashed all over the papers. 'Many more women are being harmed by this cruel and outdated law,' says O'Brien. 'Abortion providers report that for every woman that ends up in court, at least ten others are subjected to prolonged police investigations. This includes women who have experienced stillbirths or gone into premature labour and are suspected of having taken medication to end their pregnancies.' We recently reported that police have been given new guidance on how to search a woman's phone, home and period tracking apps after a pregnancy loss, if an illegal abortion is suspected. In Scotland, just like in England and Wales, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, providing two doctors sign off on it. However, Scotland is a little different as they have some autonomy over abortion law. Our campaign is currently focusing on the law in England and Wales because this is where we are seeing the law being used to investigate and prosecute women and girls. Decriminalisation does not mean deregulation. It means removing the specific criminal sanctions attached to abortion. It would still be regulated, like any comparable form of healthcare, it would just stop women being investigated and threatened with life imprisonment, if they were suspected, by the police or their healthcare provider, of having an illegal abortion. Across the world, nearly 50 countries, provinces, and territories do not criminalise women who seek to end their pregnancy outside the law. These include Canada, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland. There is no evidence that decriminalising abortion would increase the sale of pills from non-licensed or non-reputable sellers. 'This doesn't happen in any country where abortion is decriminalised,' explains Louise McCudden, Head of External Affairs at MSI. 'On the contrary, the greater the legal restrictions on abortion, the more likely it is that some people fall outside the parameters of the law and end up purchasing pills online or ending their pregnancies in other ways.' Most people who get an abortion in the UK do so legally from a regulated, licensed provider, usually through the NHS (even if the provider is an independent charity like MSI Reproductive Choices UK or BPAS). 'Thanks to having a publicly funded health service which covers reproductive healthcare, there's a lot less room for opportunists to exploit gaps – but what we want to see is a situation where decriminalisation closes the potential for that altogether,' says McCudden. We are not asking for the time limit to be changed. Decriminilisation does not change the time limit, or any of the other regulations that currently surround abortion. 'In countries like Canada where abortion has been decriminalised, there has been no change in the average gestation at which abortion is carried out,' says McCudden. In the UK, in 2021, 89% of abortions took place before 10 weeks, with the overwhelming majority of the other 11% falling before 12 weeks. Only 1% take place over 20 weeks. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and other medical bodies continue to recommend abortion is provided up until 24 weeks, and beyond that only if there's an exceptional reason, like saving the pregnant person's life. 'Decriminalisation isn't about changing that, it's about saying that the time limit shouldn't be enforced by threatening women, who are often very vulnerable, with prison,' adds McCudden. 'The specific reform that we're backing from MPs right now is a very simple reform which removes the person ending their own pregnancy from criminal law without changing any other aspect of the law or provision. That means anyone providing abortion would still be subject to the same laws, including those which relate to time limits.' 'Abortion is one of the most heavily regulated areas of healthcare, despite being one of the safest and most common,' explains McCudden. 'None of this would change. The only aspect of the law that we are asking to change right now is that women themselves aren't investigated in relation to their own pregnancies. Regulations, time limits, licensing, safety, and safeguarding would remain exactly the same.' The police would be able to investigate people who sell unlicensed or unlawful abortion pills the same way they do now. 'It is extremely rare for anyone to end a pregnancy beyond the medically recommended time limit, and that continues to be true in countries where abortion has been decriminalised, like Canada,' explains McCudden. MSI Reproductive Choices work in 36 countries across the world. '89% of abortions in England and Wales take place under 10 weeks' gestation and only 1% take place over 20 weeks.' In the very rare event that an abortion is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person or if there is a serious risk of a foetal anomaly, abortion is currently legal beyond 24 weeks gestation – this accounts for just 0.1% of all abortion procedures. 'These cases involve extremely difficult decisions, especially for people who find themselves having to decide whether to terminate a wanted pregnancy because of an unexpected health risk,' McCudden explains. As for those who have, in very, very rare cases, ended their own pregnancy beyond the medically appropriate time limit, this is often under incredibly complex circumstances. 'People may not have the full nuance of this from media reports or even court documents,' McCudden explains. 'These can include coercion, trafficking, abuse, and sexual assault and are, unfortunately, not always documented or even recognised by parts of the criminal justice system.' Again, these cases where a woman ends their own pregnancy beyond the medically appropriate time limit, and where this isn't due to saving the life of the pregnant person or serious risk of a foetal anomaly, account for less than 0.1%. 'The idea of encouraging or discouraging an abortion is at odds with the reality of how people make decisions about their reproductive health,' says McCudden. 'If a pregnancy is wanted, why would somebody decide to have an abortion simply because the law has changed? Many factors play a part in why people need or choose an abortion, but I have never heard of a woman deciding to have an abortion purely because it's legal. The abortion rate does not rise when abortion is criminalised, and it doesn't fall when abortion access is restricted. If there's one thing we know from our global work it is that restricting abortion does not stop abortion happening – it simply makes it less safe.' As we have seen from the spike in investigations, prosecutions and new police guidance, this ancient law is being used more and more, in cases that have a profound, lasting and damaging impact on women's lives. This spike has also come at a time when far-right politicians are gaining traction in the UK (Nigel Farage has been quoted in a statement by an American organisation that campaigns to outlaw abortion entirely.) And, while the majority of the country is pro-choice, with 90% of us supporting access to abortion, we cannot underestimate the power (and money) being gained by groups who want to see our rights reversed, like they were in America. They can use this outdated law to help gain power of our bodily autonomy. We can't let their voice, which is the minority, become louder than ours. It's time to speak up. Catriona Innes is Commissioning Director at Cosmopolitan, you can follow her on Instagram. Catriona Innes is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Commissioning Editor, who has won BSME awards both for her longform investigative journalism as well as for leading the Cosmopolitan features department. Alongside commissioning and editing the features section, both online and in print, Catriona regularly writes her own hard-hitting investigations spending months researching some of the most pressing issues affecting young women today. She has spent time undercover with specialist police forces, domestic abuse social workers and even Playboy Bunnies to create articles that take readers to the heart of the story. Catriona is also a published author, poet and volunteers with a number of organisations that directly help the homeless community of London. She's often found challenging her weak ankles in towering heels through the streets of Soho. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Toronto Star
14-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
Noted Vaccine Researcher and Leader Kate O'Brien Awarded Sabin's Gold Medal; Physician Livancliff Mbianke of Cameroon Receives Rising Star Award
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Sabin Vaccine Institute today awarded the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal to pediatrician Katherine O'Brien, MD, MPH, for her research on the pneumococcal vaccine and leadership in global vaccine research and access, and its Rising Star Award to dedicated physician and public health specialist Livancliff Mbianke, MD, MPH, of Cameroon. The awards were presented at a ceremony in the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington D.C. O'Brien is a pioneering global health leader whose innovative work in vaccine access and policy has transformed immunization programs worldwide.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Noted Vaccine Researcher and Leader Kate O'Brien Awarded Sabin's Gold Medal; Physician Livancliff Mbianke of Cameroon Receives Rising Star Award
Sabin Vaccine Institute Presents 2025 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal & Rising Star Awards WASHINGTON, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Sabin Vaccine Institute today awarded the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal to pediatrician Katherine O'Brien, MD, MPH, for her research on the pneumococcal vaccine and leadership in global vaccine research and access, and its Rising Star Award to dedicated physician and public health specialist Livancliff Mbianke, MD, MPH, of Cameroon. The awards were presented at a ceremony in the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington D.C. O'Brien is a pioneering global health leader whose innovative work in vaccine access and policy has transformed immunization programs worldwide. 'I am honored to award the Sabin Gold Medal to Dr. O'Brien for her extensive scientific and humanitarian work, which has significantly contributed to the development, licensure, and global distribution of critical immunizations,' says Amy Finan, Sabin's chief executive officer. 'The breadth and scope of her work — in addition to her leadership in advancing the availability of vaccines for everyone, everywhere — has saved millions of lives around the world.' O'Brien's interest in vaccines and preventable illness began during her early career as a research pediatrician in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where almost a third of children admitted to the hospital she worked at died, often from vaccine-preventable diseases. Returning to the U.S. to pursue her infectious disease fellowship, Master of Public Health, and training as an epidemiologist, she then worked for the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health and led groundbreaking clinical trials on the pneumococcal vaccine to establish the vaccine's performance and impact on both disease and on colonization to achieve both individual and population-level protection. O'Brien was appointed Director of Infectious Disease at the Center and led research on vaccine development and implementation for vaccine-preventable diseases disproportionately affecting Indigenous populations. Her work in large-scale vaccine impact studies and clinical trials has been instrumental in the licensure, introduction and global use of vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)..O'Brien continued her leadership in vaccine development, access, and research in her position as the Executive Director of the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has served on WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and on the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, where she has influenced vaccine financing, policy development, and global immunization strategies. In her current role as Director, Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals for the World Health Organization (WHO), O'Brien leads the global vaccine and immunization strategy. She oversees WHO's work across the vaccine continuum by accelerating new vaccine research and development, advancing vaccine access and equity, introducing new vaccines into country programs, identifying and responding to outbreaks including as WHO's vaccine technical lead during the COVID-19 pandemic, and strengthening immunization program reach in order to maximize the impact of vaccines, even in the most fragile and vulnerable settings. O'Brien earned her medical degree from McGill University and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. She completed her pediatric and infectious disease training at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 'I am deeply grateful for a career working with incredible people around the world, and through them to have life-saving impact,' says O'Brien. 'Vaccines are truly one of science's greatest achievements. It is immensely fulfilling to work on vaccines all the way from development through licensure and dissemination, and to then see them protect the lives and well-being of families. This award is a huge honor, and a tribute to those who have taught me the value of evidence-based courage.' Sabin's Rising Star Award is intended to encourage and recognize the next generation of vaccine and immunization leaders. Mbianke is a dedicated physician and public health specialist whose work in vaccine access and strengthening health systems has made a profound impact on underserved communities. With expertise in immunization, maternal and child health, and community engagement, Mbianke has played a pivotal role in expanding vaccine coverage and improving health outcomes in Cameroon. 'With his recognized achievements in reducing maternal and child mortality by 50% in remote areas and increasing accessibility of vaccines, Dr. Mbianke is leading innovations around immunization in fragile settings,' says Finan. 'Whether he is delivering vaccines to displaced populations or creating health clinics out of village councils, his creative solutions serve as a model for those working in challenging settings and makes him a Rising Star in global health.' As Program Country Manager for the COMBAT Project (Community-Based Tracking for Immunization) at the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), Mbianke leads efforts to enhance immunization delivery by improving community-based monitoring, engagement, and service delivery strategies. He also serves as Technical Advisor for the World Health Organization's 'Big Catch-Up,' a global initiative aimed at restoring vaccine coverage following pandemic-related disruptions. Beyond his advisory roles, Mbianke is the CEO of Empower Women Foundation, where he champions maternal and child health initiatives in Cameroon, advocating for sustainable and locally driven health care solutions. His leadership extends to past roles with WHO, Gavi, USAID, and other global health organizations, where he has contributed to immunization policy formulation and innovative strategies to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children. A graduate of Université de la Montagne Bagante (MD) and Mountain University for Sustainable Studies (MPH), Mbianke combines medical expertise with public health leadership to promote vaccine confidence and equitable access. 'This award is so meaningful,' says Mbianke. 'When you work in settings with such a high burden, sometimes you feel you are not doing enough because you want to improve as many lives as possible. But recognition like the Rising Star award really motivates you. It says you are creating an impact. You are creating a change.' Awarded annually since 1993 and 2020 respectively, the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal and Rising Star Award honor individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to immunization and global health. These awards commemorate the legacy of the late Dr. Albert B. Sabin, who discovered the oral polio vaccine and dedicated his life to ensuring everyone in the world had access to vaccines. Watch the 2025 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal and Rising Star ceremony on Sabin's YouTube channel. About the Sabin Vaccine Institute The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a leading advocate for expanding vaccine access and uptake globally, advancing vaccine research and development, and amplifying vaccine knowledge and innovation. Unlocking the potential of vaccines through partnership, Sabin has built a robust ecosystem of funders, innovators, implementers, practitioners, policy makers and public stakeholders to advance its vision of a future free from preventable diseases. As a non-profit with three decades of experience, Sabin is committed to finding solutions that last and extending the full benefits of vaccines to all people, regardless of who they are or where they live. At Sabin, we believe in the power of vaccines to change the world. For more information, visit and follow us on X @SabinVaccine. Media Contact: Monika Guttman Senior Media Relations SpecialistSabin Vaccine Institute+1 (202) 621-1691press@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Irish Times
29-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Planning for ‘grossly excessive' Drumcondra apartments refused for second time
An Bord Pleanála has rejected plans for a 78-unit apartment development on the site of Balnagowan House on St. Mobhi Boithrin in Glasnevin, following local objections. Rectone Developments Ltd was looking to convert the protected structure from office to residential use and to construct three apartment blocks up to three, four and five storeys on the surrounding land. The developers had planned to build 37 one-bed apartments, 40 two-beds and one three-bed, with 32 car parking spaces on the 0.48 hectare site. The refusal upheld the earlier decision of Dublin City Council. An Bord Pleanála found the development would 'seriously injure the amenities, diminish the development potential and depreciate the value of adjoining properties by reason of overlooking and loss of privacy'. READ MORE Rectone had scaled back and amended a previously rejected application by Balnagowan Partnership for 112 apartments in three blocks of up to seven storeys in height, which the planning authority had found would 'seriously detract' from the protected property, be 'out of character' with the surrounding neighbourhood and could cause 'excessive overlooking' on nearby properties, among other issues. An Bord Pleanála found the proposed mitigation measures in the current application would have 'deleterious impacts on the residential amenity of future occupants' of some of the proposed apartments. The decision said some of the apartments would be of 'poor residential amenity' as a result of 'fritted glass or heavily screened balconies' which had been added to the application to address 'unresolved overlooking issues' in the development. Eleven objections had been lodged against the application to Dublin City Council, including a submission from BPS Planning Consultants Ltd on behalf of the Mobhi Haven Community Association. It complained the development was too dense and in 'clear contravention' of the Dublin City Development Plan, further complaining that computer generated images contained in the application were not an 'accurate representation of the visual impact of this scheme'. 'Residents at the Haven strenuously object to the proposed removal of these trees to facilitate a vehicular entrance to which they also strenuously object,' they said, claiming the construction would lead to the 'total decimation' of the trees on site. Katherine O'Brien and Alan McDonough who live directly adjoining the proposed site, described the mitigation measures aimed at addressing the refusal of the first application as 'inadequate and mere tokenism'. Leonard Gillick, a resident of the nearby, The Haven, described the development as 'grossly excessive for the site in question'. 'From the outset, a boithirin would be, in the English language, a lane,' Mr Gillick said, 'but Balnagowan Partnership and their partners and advisers deem it be a boulevard.' The applicants were contacted for comment by The Irish Times.
