By . Emily Crane . and Sally Lee For Daily Mail Australia . Australian senator Eric Abetz has been slammed after citing 1950s research to claim a link between breast cancer and abortion. He made the comments during a television interview on Thursday night when he was asked whether he believed the 'factually incorrect' statement that abortions can lead to breast cancer. 'I think the studies, and I think they date back from the 1950s, assert that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer,' Mr Abetz told Channel Ten's The Project. Such claims weren't far from those made by a Queensland politician two months ago, who said an abortion increases a woman's chance of breast cancer by as much as 44 per cent. Mr Abetz has tried to deny that he suggested a link between abortions and breast cancer on Friday morning. Scroll down for video . Australian senator Eric Abetz made the comments during a television interview on Thursday night when he was asked whether he believed the 'factually incorrect' statement that abortions can lead to breast cancer . When Mr Abetz  was told the statement was 'conclusively and scientifically incorrect' he said: 'There are other organisations (apart from the Australian Medical Association) that have differing views'. 'I confess that I don’t have scientific expertise,'' he added. The Australian Medical Association President Associate Professor Brian Owler said the senator had 'cherry-picked' old information skewed toward an anti-abortion ideology. He said the comments were not based on current or conventional medical evidence. 'I just don't understand why a senior member of government would want to try to take on this issue and put himself out in the media using articles I'm told are from the 1950s as the basis of his discussion,' Professor Owler told AAP. Twitter erupted after Mr Abetz's comments aired with many slamming him for his views . Broede Carmody tweeted this Simpson's parody in reaction to Mr Abetz's comments . When Mr Abetz was told the statement was 'conclusively and scientifically incorrect' he said there were other organisations other than the Australia Medical Association that had different views . 'This is a serious issue and it should be discussed on the basis of current medical evidence.' Prof Owler said he respected freedom of speech but Senator Abetz's comments came with significant responsibility because of his senior government role. 'Let's not use false evidence or try and link abortion with other things such as breast cancer, I don't think it's fair and it's certainly not fair to people who may have experienced breast cancer,' he said. Two months ago, Liberal National Party member Freya Ostapovitch told the Queensland parliament 'the more induced abortions a woman had, the greater her risk of breast cancer'. Queensland MP Freya Ostapovitch told parliament in June that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer . 'Why are women not informed of these basic facts so that they can avoid induced abortions and thus lower their risk of breast cancer, the major cause of death other than road accidents for pre-menopausal women and the third major cause of death for post-menopausal women?' she said in parliament. Ms Ostapovitch, previously a psychiatric nurse, cited Chinese researcher Dr Yubei Huang who last year released a controversial paper arguing that induced abortions raised the risk of breast cancer by 44 per cent. She said she hoped her speech would raise awareness of 'some real ways a woman can prevent contracting breast cancer'. The morning after Mr Abetz's television interview, the senator has said his views have been misrepresented. 'Media reports that I have drawn or believe there is a link between abortion and breast cancer are incorrect,' he said on Friday. Mr Abetz further stated that he 'studiously avoided' suggesting a link between abortion and breast cancer, saying that he was 'cut off' before he was able to acknowledge that American Dr Angela Lanfranchi's views on this topic were not the accepted medical view. Dr Lanfranchi is a breast cancer surgeon and a clinical assistant professor of surgery who also supports the controversial claims. '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.' But he also acknowledged Dr Lanfranchi's professional history in his statement, noting she was the surgical co-director of the Sanofi-Aventis Breast Care Centre and the Steeplechase Cancer Centre in New Jersey. He said Dr Lanfranchi had the right to free speech in Australia and the AMA had the right to disagree with her. Mr Abetz, who is the Employment Minister and leader of the government in the upper house, will host a lunch later this month in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of Families event . Mr Abetz, who is openly anti-abortion, has spoken out about his support for the WCF for their traditional views on families . Mr Abetz, who is the Employment Minister and leader of the government in the upper house, will host a lunch later this month in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of Families (WCF) event. One of the main speakers at the event promotes the idea that abortions can lead to breast cancer. Other ideas to be discussed by members of the WCF include that the pill can cause lethal infections and if you're on the pill it can lead to violent relationships. Mr Abetz, who is openly anti-abortion, has spoken out about his support for the WCF for their traditional views on families. 'My support for the WCF is based on the basic beliefs that they support the traditional view of marriage and that they are pro-life,' he said. 'The World Congress believes the best family unit… is a biological mother and biological father in a marriage relationship. 'What this congress is doing is bringing together a lot of academics and other experts around the world to exchange ideas.'
Senator Eric Abetz was asked whether he believed the 'factually incorrect' statement during a television interview on Thursday .
He said studies assert there is a link between abortion and breast cancer but has since denied making the claims .
The Australian Medical Association said the comments were not based on current or conventional medical evidence .
Same claims were made by Queensland MP Freya Ostapovitch in June .
Mr Abetz will attend a World Congress of Families event in Melbourne this month where the main speaker will promote the abortion-cancer link .
By . Emily Crane . and Sally Lee For Daily Mail Australia . Australian senator Eric Abetz has been slammed after citing 1950s research to claim a link between breast cancer and abortion. He made the comments during a television interview on Thursday night when he was asked whether he believed the 'factually incorrect' statement that abortions can lead to breast cancer. 'I think the studies, and I think they date back from the 1950s, assert that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer,' Mr Abetz told Channel Ten's The Project. Such claims weren't far from those made by a Queensland politician two months ago, who said an abortion increases a woman's chance of breast cancer by as much as 44 per cent. Mr Abetz has tried to deny that he suggested a link between abortions and breast cancer on Friday morning. Scroll down for video . Australian senator Eric Abetz made the comments during a television interview on Thursday night when he was asked whether he believed the 'factually incorrect' statement that abortions can lead to breast cancer . When Mr Abetz  was told the statement was 'conclusively and scientifically incorrect' he said: 'There are other organisations (apart from the Australian Medical Association) that have differing views'. 'I confess that I don’t have scientific expertise,'' he added. The Australian Medical Association President Associate Professor Brian Owler said the senator had 'cherry-picked' old information skewed toward an anti-abortion ideology. He said the comments were not based on current or conventional medical evidence. 'I just don't understand why a senior member of government would want to try to take on this issue and put himself out in the media using articles I'm told are from the 1950s as the basis of his discussion,' Professor Owler told AAP. Twitter erupted after Mr Abetz's comments aired with many slamming him for his views . Broede Carmody tweeted this Simpson's parody in reaction to Mr Abetz's comments . When Mr Abetz was told the statement was 'conclusively and scientifically incorrect' he said there were other organisations other than the Australia Medical Association that had different views . 'This is a serious issue and it should be discussed on the basis of current medical evidence.' Prof Owler said he respected freedom of speech but Senator Abetz's comments came with significant responsibility because of his senior government role. 'Let's not use false evidence or try and link abortion with other things such as breast cancer, I don't think it's fair and it's certainly not fair to people who may have experienced breast cancer,' he said. Two months ago, Liberal National Party member Freya Ostapovitch told the Queensland parliament 'the more induced abortions a woman had, the greater her risk of breast cancer'. Queensland MP Freya Ostapovitch told parliament in June that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer . 'Why are women not informed of these basic facts so that they can avoid induced abortions and thus lower their risk of breast cancer, the major cause of death other than road accidents for pre-menopausal women and the third major cause of death for post-menopausal women?' she said in parliament. Ms Ostapovitch, previously a psychiatric nurse, cited Chinese researcher Dr Yubei Huang who last year released a controversial paper arguing that induced abortions raised the risk of breast cancer by 44 per cent. She said she hoped her speech would raise awareness of 'some real ways a woman can prevent contracting breast cancer'. The morning after Mr Abetz's television interview, the senator has said his views have been misrepresented. 'Media reports that I have drawn or believe there is a link between abortion and breast cancer are incorrect,' he said on Friday. Mr Abetz further stated that he 'studiously avoided' suggesting a link between abortion and breast cancer, saying that he was 'cut off' before he was able to acknowledge that American Dr Angela Lanfranchi's views on this topic were not the accepted medical view. Dr Lanfranchi is a breast cancer surgeon and a clinical assistant professor of surgery who also supports the controversial claims. '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.' But he also acknowledged Dr Lanfranchi's professional history in his statement, noting she was the surgical co-director of the Sanofi-Aventis Breast Care Centre and the Steeplechase Cancer Centre in New Jersey. He said Dr Lanfranchi had the right to free speech in Australia and the AMA had the right to disagree with her. Mr Abetz, who is the Employment Minister and leader of the government in the upper house, will host a lunch later this month in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of Families event . Mr Abetz, who is openly anti-abortion, has spoken out about his support for the WCF for their traditional views on families . Mr Abetz, who is the Employment Minister and leader of the government in the upper house, will host a lunch later this month in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of Families (WCF) event. One of the main speakers at the event promotes the idea that abortions can lead to breast cancer. Other ideas to be discussed by members of the WCF include that the pill can cause lethal infections and if you're on the pill it can lead to violent relationships. Mr Abetz, who is openly anti-abortion, has spoken out about his support for the WCF for their traditional views on families. 'My support for the WCF is based on the basic beliefs that they support the traditional view of marriage and that they are pro-life,' he said. 'The World Congress believes the best family unit… is a biological mother and biological father in a marriage relationship. 'What this congress is doing is bringing together a lot of academics and other experts around the world to exchange ideas.'
believed the 'factually incorrect' statement that abortion and breast cancer,' Mr Abetz told Australian senator Eric Abetz made the comments during a television interview on Thursday night when he was asked whether he believed the expertise,'' he added. The Australian Medical ideology. He said the comments were not based on current or conventional medical evidence. 'I just her risk of breast cancer'. Queensland MP Freya Ostapovitch told parliament in June that abortion or believe there is a link between abortion and month in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of Families event . Mr Abetz, who is openly in Melbourne as part of the World Congress of