Life Issues in the Americas Spotlight on Cuba.(Brief Article)

Fidel Castro's dictatorial grip on this island nation has done more than the widely reported devastation of the economy and demoralization of the people. According to the Communist Cuban government's own numbers, an extraordinarily high six out of 10 (60.2%) pregnancies in Cuba end in abortion, the largest number of any nation in this hemisphere.

The law in Cuba not only allows abortions for any reason, but abortions are also paid for by the state. The pro-life movement in Cuba continues to struggle as reports that many of its leaders are jailed, beaten, and expelled come out of Cuba. One of these leaders is Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet.

Dr. Biscet was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1961. In 1985 Dr. Biscet received his degree as a specialist in internal medicine, and by 1987 he was practicing and teaching obstetrics at the Hijas de Galicia hospital in Havana.

In the early 1990s the drug Rivanol was being used to provide young Cuban women with chemically induced abortions. Dr. Biscet began researching and compiling evidence as to how this strong abortifacient was being used to destroy children. He also documented many accounts of children being killed after surviving this type of abortion.

He discovered that Rivanol is made in Germany. It is an acridine derivative and it appears to be an antimicrobial dye. It is classified as an antiseptic. But just as sodium chloride is classified as an electrolyte replacement, it can also be used as an abortifacient.

The generic name for Rivanol is ethacidrine lactate. Trade names include Emcredil, Acrinol, and Rival. This substance is not available in the United States.

Used for abortion in the first and second trimesters, Rivanol is injected into the amniotic sac. Studies showed that it produced an abortion in 98.8% of cases within 48 hours. The countries where these studies were conducted were India and Vietnam.