The Union health ministry will soon withdraw its ban on advertisements on emergency contraceptive pills like Unwanted-72, Option-72 and I-Pill. The ministry had imposed the ban in January last year after experts raised concern that these advertisements may promote the misuse of the pill by the young generation.

According to sources, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) of the union health ministry in its meeting held on October 10 has decided to allow the advertisements on  emergency contraceptive pills with some riders. As per the new DTAB guidelines, a committee consisting of the principal of a reputed girls college, representatives from civil society groups and the advertising council should screen the ads and the scripts before they are on air.

Ever since the drug companies launched advertisements on emergency contraceptive pills like Unwanted-72, Option-72 and I-Pill, experts and public interest groups in the country have been raising concern that these advertisements may promote the misuse of the pill by the young generation who have started looking at the pills as a regular contraceptive method as the advertisements are said to have failed to drive home the message clearly that these pills are emergency contraceptives.

Apart from the civil society organisations, gynaecologists in the country have also been expressing concern on the misuse of the pill by the young generation. It triggered a debate in sexually conservative India with critics arguing that the easy availability of such pills would encourage promiscuity among the millions of young people. There was also criticism that the easy availability of these drugs will also promote unsafe sex among younger generation and may result in promotion of diseases like HIV/AIDS in the country.

When the public criticism reached its crescendo after the companies started airing competitive ads on these pills, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) banned the advertisements on these emergency pills and left the matter to the DTAB, which is the highest authority of health experts on technical matters under the union health ministry.

Now that the DTAB has taken a final decision in favour of the pharma companies, they can start advertisements on these pills.