Sir, – The Health Consumer Powerhouse would like to comment on some of the reactions of Minister for Health Leo Varadkar to our report on the Euro Health Consumer Index 2015.
In "Varadkar does not 'set much store' in emergency care report" (January 26th), you quote Dr Varadkar as saying that the index gives countries bonus points if they perform "lots of abortions" and counts being able to book a GP online as being as important as surviving a stroke, "so it needs to be taken for what it is".
I am afraid that Dr Varadkar is not perfectly informed. The Health Consumer Powerhouse does not give bonus points for high abortion rates. Also, the weight of the stroke survival indicator (and the other outcomes indicators) is much higher than the weight attached to online booking.
What he says about the abortion indicator is untrue. The abortion indicator has a “hockey stick”-shaped scoring curve, with a green for free right to abortion. However, when the abortion rate exceeds 20 per 100 births, the score turns yellow, and red for more than 30 abortions per 100 births.
The logic behind that is that we believe in the European Parliament Estrela report [Report on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights], which says that abortion should be a right for EU women. However, using abortion as a method for contraception is considered a bad idea. – Yours, etc,
Prof ARNE BJÖRNBERG,
Chairman,
Health Consumer
Powerhouse,
Byvägen,
Täby,
Sweden.