Disappearing Medical Abortion Drugs: Facts and Reasons, 2013

The 2010 census revealed the worst-ever child sex ratio and focused pressure on policy makers and implementing authorities to address the problem of gender biased sex selection. Ratcheted up enforcement and regulation of chemists, in some instances exceeded the mandate of the laws on drug retailing. This in turn, has led to chemists have stopped stocking and dispensing abortion drugs severely handicapping providers from prescribing medical methods of abortions and impacting women’s access to safe abortion services.  In 2013, Ipas India undertook a multi-city study across 238 chemist shops in eight cities in Maharashtra.

Findings of this study indicate that since mid-2012 there has been a significant and abrupt dip in stocking of medical abortion drugs in Maharashtra by chemists.