Gurgaon Health Dept Bans Mifepristone-Misoprostol Sales, Warns Chemists of Penal Action
Gurgaon: In a decisive move to curb illegal abortions and improve the sex ratio at birth, the Gurgaon district administration has directed all wholesalers and retailers to immediately stop the sale of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits.
The order, issued by Chief Medical Officer and Civil Surgeon Dr. Alka Singh, is part of Haryana’s intensified efforts under the ‘Save the Girl Child' campaign, aimed at preventing the misuse of abortion drugs for gender-biased terminations.
According to the official circular, MTP kits containing one tablet of mifepristone and four tablets of misoprostol are Schedule H drugs, which can only be dispensed against a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner (RMP). The administration has further instructed that such medications will now be available only through the district central store at Sector 31 Polyclinic, prohibiting private chemists from stocking or selling them.
The directive also mandates that only recognized MTP centres can procure Mifepristone 200 mg tablets, with compulsory maintenance of stock registers and monthly reports to be submitted to the district health department. Officials stated that the action follows disturbing findings by the State Task Force, which uncovered widespread misuse of abortion pills purchased online or from unregistered chemists by individuals seeking male children.
Health officials highlighted that while Haryana’s sex ratio at birth has improved slightly—from 899 girls per 1,000 boys in 2023 to 905 girls per 1,000 boys as of August 2025—unregulated use of abortion kits continues to pose a significant challenge to gender equity and safe medical practices.
The Indian Express reports that the crackdown follows a series of raids in which health officials found chemists selling MTP kits without valid prescriptions. In one such case in Tikri village, a pharmacy was caught selling a kit to a decoy 11-week-pregnant woman for ₹1,500, leading to an FIR under the MTP Act, National Medical Commission Act, and other relevant provisions. The health department has since intensified inspections across the district to detect and prevent illegal distribution.
With the directive now in force, the Gurgaon health department has warned that strict penal action will be taken against violators. Officials reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to safeguarding women’s health and supporting Haryana’s continuing mission to “Save the Girl Child.”
