Russia restricts abortion drug sales until 2030

The Russian government is tightening restrictions on access to abortion-inducing drugs.

Russia’s Ministry of Health announced Tuesday new limits on abortion drug distribution and sales at pharmacies. 

Misoprostol and mifepristone are specifically being targeted with the restrictions. The two drugs are now limited by subject-quantitative registration, according to translations from the Moscow Times. 

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The restrictions will go into effect on Sep. 1, 2024 and last for exactly six years.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko first suggested adding the two abortion drugs to the registry in July, saying they pose both medical and ethical risks for Russian women. 

Russia is currently experiencing a cultural shift in its attitudes toward abortion. Previously rather liberal on the issue, the country’s leadership and conservative communities have seized the current climate to propagate anti-abortion regulations. 

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The Russian Orthodox Church — which enjoys a historically significant relationship with the nation’s politics — is also vehemently opposed to abortion on the basis of Christian morals.

Under the new restrictions, individuals seeking the drug will need to obtain a prescription from a doctor before purchasing. 

Additionally, medical providers will require a special license to provide the abortion-inducing medication to patients. 

Providers will also have to track and report their distribution of the drugs.

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