Sask. nurse practitioners can now prescribe abortion pill

This file photo shows the abortion drug Mifegymiso, which is a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol.

Saskatchewan nurse practitioners can now prescribe the drug known as the abortion pill.

The pill, also known as R-U 486, is an anti-hormonal medication that terminates early pregnancy by blocking the effects of progesterone.

The Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association says it’s now within the scope of practice for a nurse practitioner to prescribe the pill.

Previously in Saskatchewan, the pill could only be prescribed by a physician.

This story has been corrected from a previous version which misstated which nurses can prescribe the pill.