Illegal sale of abortion kits: Show cause notice issued to 149 medical shops in Telangana

Written by Ruchika Sharma Published On 2025-07-18T16:30:42+05:30 | Updated On 18 July 2025 4:30 PM IST

Telangana: A total of 149 medical shops have been issued show cause notices for several violations related to the indiscriminate sale of Abortion Kits in Telangana.

The Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, conducted a special drive on 16th July, 2025, to detect the illegal sale of Abortion Kits (Abortifacient Drugs) in medical shops across the state. During the inspections, special emphasis was laid on checking the indiscriminate sale of Abortion Kits (Abortifacient Drugs) including Mifepristone Tablets, Misoprostol Tablets, etc., classified under Schedule H of the Drugs Rules.

During the special drive, officers of the Drugs Control Administration detected several discrepancies related to the sale of Abortion Kits (Abortifacient Drugs) in 149 medical shops.

The officers detected several violations related to the indiscriminate sale of Abortion Kits (Abortifacient Drugs), including the sale of such drugs without a prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner, sale without issuing bills, non-maintenance and failure to produce sales bills, dispensing of Abortion Kits in the absence of a Registered Pharmacist, failure to produce purchase bills, failure to maintain prescription drug registers, irregularities in maintaining copies of sales and purchase bills, and other violations of the Drugs Rules.

Show Cause Notices have been issued to the 149 violating medical shops, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules made thereunder.

Abortion Kits (Abortifacient Drugs) are mandatorily to be used only under the supervision of a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) after proper clinical evaluation and ultrasound. As per the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 2002 and MTP Rules, 2003, such kits must be administered exclusively by a qualified Gynaecologist and only in a medical facility approved under the Rules.

Abortion Kits contain potent drugs such as Mifepristone and Misoprostol, and their unsupervised use can result in serious and lifethreatening complications. The purchase and consumption of these drugs Page 3 of 4 over-the-counter (OTC) from medical shops without a doctor’s prescription and supervision is strictly prohibited and highly unsafe. It may lead to excessive uterine bleeding or other adverse outcomes requiring emergency medical intervention.

These products are classified under Schedule H of the Drugs Rules and are therefore permitted to be sold only by licensed retail pharmacies upon presentation of a valid prescription issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner.

The administration cautioned that in cases of ectopic pregnancy— where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, commonly in the fallopian tube—these medications are completely ineffective. If an ectopic pregnancy goes undiagnosed and such drugs are consumed, it can result in tubal rupture, severe internal bleeding, hypovolemic shock, and even death.

Furthermore, Misoprostol, if taken without medical supervision, can cause excessive uterine bleeding, which, if not managed promptly and appropriately, may also lead to life-threatening complications.

The illegal sale of Abortion Kits constitutes a serious offence punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder.

medical shopsabortion kitdrugs control administration telangana

Ruchika Sharma

Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751