The abortion drug RU486 is now on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's register, meaning it will be more widely available to Australian women.

The drug, which has been available in Australia for six years, was previously only allowed to be imported and prescribed by a handful of GPs.

But an application by reproductive health group Marie Stopes International was successful, meaning it will now be more widely available.

The TGA says Marie Stopes International will be introducing the drug in a controlled way.

It says only medical practitioners recognised by the group as having completed appropriate training will be able to prescribe the medicines.

Another abortion drug, misoprostol, has also been placed on the register.

The Australian Medical Association says there will be plenty of safeguards around the wider distribution of the drug.

Mr Hambleton says some doctors may choose not to prescribe the controversial drug, but many will.

"The drug is going to be well regulated, there's going to be a complaints mechanism to make sure it's safe and that certain individuals will be able to prescribe it," he said.

"So it's a way of putting a drug in a framework that makes sure it's used appropriately."

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon says it will help break down many of the barriers women have faced.

"Women do not make the decision to terminate a pregnancy lightly and women do have the right to affordable, safe, easy to access abortions," she said.

"The announcement today... takes us one step closer to ensuring women's rights are recognised in that way."

But the Australian Christian Lobby says it is disappointed RU486 has been registered.

Wendy Francis says there should be more research before the drug is used open slather.

"The RU486 has been referred to as a medicine, I would refute that," she said.

"I think pregnancy is not a disease and rather than provide women with a poison to get rid of an unwanted child I think we need to be providing real choices to women.

"I don't think we've still got there yet."

Earlier this year, Australia recorded its first death related to RU486 when the TGA confirmed a woman who was administered the drug died in 2010.

Little is known about the circumstances of her death or even where she died, but she had been treated at a Marie Stopes clinic.

A statement from Marie Stopes International at the time confirmed that sepsis - an infection - caused the death.

It said serious infection was a very rare, but known risk of the drug.

RU486 is legally used in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and New Zealand.