On Saturday, Labour's Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced the medications can now be prescribed by primary care practitioners, including GPs, midwives, and nurse practitioners.

She said the New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health will partner with Te Whariki Takapou, a Maori-led health organisation to deliver a new, "innovative" training package to better meet the needs of rangatahi, Maori, Pacific and disabled people.

Verrall said that by lifting some restrictions on Pharmac funded medications, more practitioners can prescribe them at low cost, improving New Zealanders' access to "safe, quality abortion services".

"These changes will improve access to early medical abortion, and will mean people can access the service from their trusted primary care provider and in a familiar setting," Verrall said.

Abortion in New Zealand was decriminalised in 2020.

Source: Stuff