Hospital's abortion ads cause outrage

By Jane Chen  |   2009-8-21  |     ONLINE EDITION

A SOUTHWEST China hospital has caused outrage with a promotion campaign for abortion surgery targeting students.

The summer vocation is normally a peak period for students to get pregnant and have abortions.
Some Internet users strongly criticized the promotion as unethical and encouraging adolescents to have sex, while others regarded it as just a commercial activity.

The Huaxi Gynecology Hospital in Chongqing Municipality ran an ad saying that girls who showed their student cards were entitled to a 50-percent discount for abortions, today's Guangzhou Daily reported.

In the advertisement, an image of a girl in student's suit says: "I'm a student and have privileges!"

Hospital officials confirmed to the Guangzhou-based newspaper that the hospital had launched the discount program. But the campaign had finished and has been replaced by another promotion which involves 500-yuan discount coupons. The coupons are also available to students.

The hospital says on its Website that it is licensed by the Chongqing Health Bureau.

An online poster criticized the advertisement as "shameful," saying the hospital was too eager for money to show any responsibility to society.

"Jin3356" said the advertisement sounded like it was encouraging pre-marital sex for students.
But others suggested not to overreact to the commercial activity.

"It is better than having students undergo abortions at unlicensed clinics," said "Jianguofeidemao."

Lawyer Liu Yong from Guangdong Bohao Law Firm said the advertisement is not illegal but thought it may sound unethical to many people, particularly parents.