FIRs against pharma firms, FDA to monitor city docs

After rampant sex-selective abortions were found being conducted in Beed district of Maharashtra, minister of state for home Satej Patil, who also heads the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department, on Wednesday said the police have filed FIRs against seven pharmaceutical companies for supplying abortion pills to chemists.

After rampant sex-selective abortions were found being conducted in Beed district of Maharashtra, minister of state for home Satej Patil, who also heads the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department, on Wednesday said the police have filed FIRs against seven pharmaceutical companies for supplying abortion pills to chemists.

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The FDA is also cracking down on city doctors who overprescribe abortion pills by inspecting chemist shops.

“While checking their [chemists’] records, our inspectors are identifying such doctors, whose names will be sent to the appropriate authority for action,” said joint FDA commissioner PR Uttarwar.

Prasad Dhanave, general secretary of Retail and Dispensing Chemists Association, however, said, “About 90% of abortion pills are sold in clinics. The FDA should inspect clinics where such pills are stored in huge quantities.”