NEW DELHI — Indian authorities have threatened to pull advertising for
two brands of morning-after-pills off the air amid concern they promote the
drugs as regular contraceptives and misrepresent abortion, an official said
Wednesday.
The manufacturers of "Unwanted 72" and "I-Pill" have launched an advertising
blitz on satellite TV channels in recent months pushing the morning-after-pills
as a means to be "tension free" after sex.
The campaign for I-Pill shows a terrified young woman cowering in the backseat
of a taxi ferrying her and a female friend to an abortion clinic, a health
ministry official said.
"We have ethical concerns about these advertisements, they are not projecting
the message clearly that these pills are emergency contraceptives and not
regular contraceptives," Ram Teke, the deputy Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)
told AFP Wednesday.
"The language too is objectionable -- one advertisement says that couples can be
'tension free' if they have access to emergency contraception. This is not
correct," Teke said.
"We are awaiting the companies' response. This office (DCGI) gave them the
permission to advertise and if they do not take corrective action, the campaigns
can be pulled off air."
Morning-after-pills were made available just a year ago after the government
gave pharmacists permission to sell them over the counter "to give women rights
over their sexuality and fertility," the health ministry official said.
The measure triggered much debate in sexually conservative India with critics
arguing the easy availability of pills would encourage promiscuity among the
millions of young people.
The health official, who preferred not to be named, said the depiction of
abortion was a cause for concern.
"This could instil fear in the minds of women about abortion and discredits
public health centres. Abortion is a woman's right if she wants it," said the
official, who preferred to remain unnamed.
Teke said the directions to the manufacturers were issued after feedback was
gathered from doctors and gynaecologists.
Source : AFP
