Show cause notice to 149 medical shops in Telangana for illegal sale of abortion kits

The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) conducted a special inspection drive on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) to curb the illegal sale of abortion kits across medical shops. The inspections, held simultaneously in multiple districts, targeted unauthorised sale of Schedule-H drugs such as Mifepristone and Misoprostol tablets, commonly used in medical terminations of pregnancy.

The drive, aimed at ensuring compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and associated rules, revealed serious violations in 149 medical shops. Show Cause notices were issued to these outlets, paving the way for departmental action, officials said.

According to the DCA, the officers detected a range of violations during the inspections. These included selling abortion kits without a valid prescription, dispensing drugs in the absence of a licensed pharmacist, and failing to issue or maintain sales and purchase bills. Other lapses included the non-maintenance of prescription registers and irregularities in the documentation of stock records and invoices.

“Abortifacient drugs are powerful medications that should only be used under strict medical supervision. Their misuse can have life-threatening consequences. These inspections are part of our effort to ensure public safety and uphold the law,” said a release.