Measures against online dealers of abortion drugs

Manama : A series of legal and administrative measures will be taken by the health authorities against online dealers of abortion medicines, it was announced yesterday.

The National Health Rgulatory Authority (NHRA) CEO Dr. Mariam Al Jalahma said in a statement issued here yesterday that the authority has detected a number of products that are sold and promoted online with the purpose of facilitating miscarriages, which is illegal in the Kingdom.

“In this regard, the NHRA has initiated legal procedures against all detected websites and accounts on social media networks, in coordination with the General Directorate of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security in Interior Ministry,” Dr. Al Jalahma explained in the statement.

She also warned citizens and residents of the dangers of interacting with websites and accounts on social media networks that illegally sell medicines and supplements that aren’t approved by the authority.

The official also said that these medicines are usually smuggled into the Kingdom away from the supervision of NHRA and many of them are counterfeited and not fit for consumption.

Dr. Al Jalahma added, “Law 18 of 1997 with regards to the practice of pharmacists and pharmaceutical centres prohibits importing medicines in the form of personal packages unless a medical prescription is provided. The main goal of the authority’s procedures is to protect the public and ensure that they don’t consume any harmful products.”