Health groups against ban on condom ads

The I&B ministry on Dec 11 issued an advisory to all television channels, asking them to restrict condom advertisement to late night between 10 pm and 6 am

Health groups have said that the government order asking television channels not to air condom advertisement between 6 am and 10 pm would undo decades of progress on sexual and reproductive health.

The Population Foundation of India (PFI) suggested that like in the film industry, advertisements can be graded by content and accordingly slotted for telecast instead of removing all advertisements.

“While the Health Ministry is trying to push contraceptive use with specific focus on spacing methods for family planning, the advisory by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) is poised to undo decades of progress on sexual and reproductive health,” said