Although it has caused the death of pregnant women around the world, a drug used for abortion recently got the approval of health authorities in Canada.

The abortion pill known as RU-486, a combination of misoprostol and mifepristone, got the approval of Health Canada, the government's main health department.

The agency has also given the go signal to the Linepharma pharmaceutical company to start producing the abortion pill, which will be sold under the brand name "Mifegymiso."

Since it has already been cleared by Health Canada, the deadly abortion drug can now be prescribed by doctors to pregnant women.

Pro-life groups have denounced the decision by Canadian health authorities to legalise RU-486.

John Hof, president of United for Life BC, said the legalisation of the abortion pill will only make killing innocent babies more widespread in Canada, where abortion has been allowed since 1988.

"As if we haven't got enough ways in Canada to kill preborn children, we've just legalised another one," Hof said.

The anti-abortion group Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) also aired the same criticism against Canada's health officials.

"I think it's another dark day for Canada with the approval of that dangerous human pesticide," CLC President Jim Hughes said.

CLC National Organiser Mary Ellen Douglas, meanwhile, pointed out that there has been a "glut of abortions in Canada" for almost five decades, with 4 million unborn child killed since 1969.

"Surely we do not need to add this disastrous medication to the killing that is already taking place," Douglas said.

Pro-life advocates were even more stunned that the decision was reached under the watch of Health Minister Rona Ambrose and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who both belong to the Conservative Party.

RU-486 had caused the deaths of 14 pregnant women in the United States as of 2011. Over 2,200 others experienced bad health effects after using the abortion pill, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.