Maha FDA issues notices to e-commerce site (shopclues.com) for online sale of abortion kit

Following Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recent actions on e-commerce site Snapdeal.com, the state regulator has also sent notices to e-commerce site, shopclues.com, for online sales of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kit.

Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) pills are recommended by physicians only for pregnancies that haven't exceeded 63 days. Medical abortion pills are prescription drugs that are different from emergency contraceptive pills. They are taken between 7 to 9 weeks of pregnancy and cause the embryo to be expelled from the uterus. Chemists can dispense the drug only against a prescription issued by a doctor who is registered under the MTP Act. 

Maharashtra FDA in its recent raids at e-commerce sites office in Mumbai found drugs like sildenafil citrate tablets, which are to be sold on prescription by urologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists and dermatologists and also emergency contraceptives i-pill and Unwanted-72.

Rule 65 prescribes the procedure to be adopted by the medical stores while selling the prescription drugs and under which the prescription from the registered medical practitioner is necessary for sale of Schedule H drugs under the Act.

Please read the in depth analysis of how these online pharmacies operate and the subsequent loopholes in our laws here.

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