Regulatory status record
Is the mercury thermometer banned in India?
Last checked 3 November 2026
No central ban notification on mercury thermometers was found; India is a party to the Minamata Convention, which phases out their manufacture, import and export, and Punjab ordered state hospitals to phase them out, as reported on 21 Nov 2025, while sale in shops continues.
- Classification
- Restricted under Section 26A, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
- Decided by
- Minamata Convention on Mercury; Punjab Health Systems Corporation (state hospitals)
- Reference
- Minamata Convention on Mercury (India a party since 2018); Punjab phase-out order reported 21 Nov 2025
- Evidence
- Government document
- Latest action
- 21 November 2025
- Last checked
- 3 November 2026
Photo: Free doctor's stethoscope image by rawpixel (cc0). All photo credits.
Medical Devices Rules, 2017 and related notifications
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Central ban
- No central ban notification found
- Minamata Convention
- India has been a party since 2018; the treaty phases out manufacture, import and export of mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers from 2020, with exemptions available to 2025
- Punjab
- Punjab Health Systems Corporation ordered a phase-out of mercury thermometers, BP instruments and dental amalgam in state hospitals (reported 21 Nov 2025)
- Shops
- Sale in shops continues
Where the claim comes from
The Punjab hospital order was reported with headlines saying the state had banned mercury-based medical equipment, which readers took as a national ban.
No central notification banning mercury thermometers in India was found. The restriction comes in two layers: an international treaty and one state's hospital order.
India is a party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, in force for the country since 2018. The treaty phases out the manufacture, import and export of mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers from 2020, with exemptions available to 2025.
In Punjab, the Punjab Health Systems Corporation ordered state hospitals to phase out mercury thermometers, BP instruments and dental amalgam, as reported on 21 Nov 2025. The report cites Ministry of Health guidelines and the Minamata Convention. The order covers state hospitals. Mercury thermometers continue to be sold in shops.
What this means for you
They are still sold
With no central ban notification, mercury thermometers can still be found in shops, though the treaty phase-out is meant to end their manufacture and trade.
Hospitals are moving away
Punjab's order covers state hospitals only. Other states and hospitals may follow their own schedules.
Check before you buy for a clinic
A hospital or clinic in Punjab's state system has been told to phase mercury instruments out. Elsewhere, ask the relevant state health department what applies.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Can I still buy a mercury thermometer in India?
Yes, sale in shops continues. There is no central ban notification, though the Minamata Convention phases out their manufacture, import and export.
Is a mercury BP apparatus banned in India?
No central ban was found. The Minamata Convention phases out mercury sphygmomanometers, and Punjab ordered state hospitals to phase them out.
Has any state banned them?
Punjab Health Systems Corporation ordered a phase-out in state hospitals, as reported on 21 Nov 2025.
Sources
Government documents
- Regulator
News reports
- Govt bans mercury-based medical equipment in stateNewsThe Tribune · 21 November 2025
Other sources
- Other