Cabinet minister Eric Abetz has denied drawing a credible link between abortions and breast cancer, but he says the proponent of the theory is qualified and has a right to express her views.
The leader of the Government in the Senate has been criticised after speaking of the link on Channel Ten program The Project last night while discussing his involvement with the
World Congress of Families event being held in Melbourne this month.
While appearing on the program, Senator Abetz was asked by panellist Mia Freedman whether he agrees with controversial American surgeon and Congress speaker, Dr Angela Lanfranchi, who promotes the theory that abortion can lead to breast cancer.
Freedman: "What about the fact that one of the speakers at this conference promotes the factually incorrect statement that abortion leads to breast cancer. Do you believe that?"
Abetz: "I think the studies, and I think they date back from the 1950s, assert that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer."
Freedman: "It is conclusively and scientifically incorrect in the same way that linking immunisations and autism are incorrect. So when this scientific non-information is being put out there, how can you be comfortable being part of something that promotes this non-science?"
Abetz: "Well I don't know what your scientific expertise is to be able to run that commentary, I must confess I don't have that ... "
Freedman: "It's not me. It's the Australian Medical Association."
Abetz: "Well there are other organisations that have differing views as some of these speakers are clinical professors ... "
The country's peak medical body, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), says Dr Lanfranchi's theories are rubbish and has labelled the Senator's comments irresponsible and ideological.
"I think he should stay out of these debates if you're quoting evidence from the 1950s, I think that's in line with the attitudes he's putting forward," AMA president Associate Professor Brian Owler said.
Video: Cancer Council chief rejects link between breast cancer and abortions (ABC News)
"It's not the sort of thing that he should be putting out and certainly not the role a senior Government member should be taking on what is an important health issue.
"I think it's very dangerous when senior members of government get involved in these types of conferences and give credence to topics that have no scientific merit and which really can be dangerous in terms of the health of women."
Senator Abetz - who is openly anti-abortion - denies he suggested a link between abortions and breast cancer, saying the body of medical opinion is clearly opposed to the idea.
In a statement, Senator Abetz said he "studiously avoided" drawing a link between abortion and breast cancer.
"
was cut off before being able to acknowledge that Dr Angela Lanfranchi's views on this topic were not the accepted medical view," he said.
"As I pointed out, I am associating myself with the Families Conference, the broad aims of which I support. This does not mean that I endorse the views of every single speaker.
"Notwithstanding this, Dr Lanfranchi is a breast cancer surgeon and a clinical assistant professor of surgery. She is the surgical co-director of the Sanofi-Aventis Breast Care Centre and the Steeplechase Cancer Centre in New Jersey.
"She has spoken at hospitals and universities around the world and she has the right to free speech in Australia. I accept the AMA has a right to disagree with Dr Lanfranchi's views."
A spokesperson for the Minister says the interview was pre-recorded and claims it was "heavily edited".
