• Oxytocin has also been dubbed the hug hormone, cuddle chemical, moral molecule, and the bliss hormone due to its effects on behavior, including its role in love and in female reproductive biological functions in reproduction.
• It acts both as a hormone and as a brain neurotransmitter.
• The release of oxytocin by the pituitary gland acts to regulate two female reproductive functions: Childbirth and Breast-feeding.
• Oxytocin helps contract the uterus and induce delivery, control bleeding, and promote the release of breast milk (breast engorgement).
• Its use is especially crucial to prevent new mothers from excessively bleeding after giving birth—a common cause of maternal deaths.
• According to an India sample registration scheme survey conducted in 2001-2003, postpartum haemorrhage accounted for 38 per cent of maternal deaths.
• It is also used to help abort the foetus in cases of incomplete abortion or miscarriage, and to control bleeding after childbirth.

Challenges that led to the ban are:

• Misuse in diary industry: The drug is misused in the dairy industry where livestock is injected with Oxytocin to make them release milk at a time convenient to farmers.
• This has increased the unlicensed facilities that are manufacturing the drug for veterinary use.
• There is also a concern that oxytocin led to infertility in dairy animals.
• It has also been linked to mastitis, a painful inflammation of the udder (mammary gland).
• Another concern is the exposure of milk consumers to oxytocin drug through dairy products
• Oxytocin is also used to increase the size of vegetables such as pumpkins, watermelons, eggplants, gourds, and cucumbers.
• It is also misused on young girls to induce puberty.

However, the ban has also led to problems:

• The proposed ban on private production raised an alarm on the possible shortfall of Oxytocin supply if only one company was permitted to make this drug.
• The proposed ban could exacerbate the inflow of illegal versions of the drug makings its way into the Indian market from China and also drive out legitimate companies.

Measures needed:

• Oxytocin is included as a lifesaving drug in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). Thus, there is a need for strict implementation of the regulations on the uncontrolled sale of Oxytocin.
• Most of the veterinary use comes from illegal import of oxytocin from neighbouring countries.
• The misuse could be prevented through strict control in sale and end use of the drug especially prevention through clandestine channels.
• There is a need for education and awareness among the farmers and cattle-rearers about the controversial but life-saving drug Oxytocin.
• Oxytocin being of grave importance for maternal health should be made available to the needy mothers easily rather than blanket ban and single company manufacture.

Conclusion:

The Supreme Court bench should look into various aspects like whether the government notification will result in monopoly, if the restriction on its manufacturing be in public interest, whether the government’s decision would achieve the objective and purpose of preventing the unregulated and illegal use of the drug, among others.