New Delhi: Days after the Union government announced new marketing norms for pharmaceutical companies, a section of doctors and public health activists slammed it, saying such norms would allow companies to continue operating. He argued that this was nothing more than an eyewash to make things worse. Unethical marketing practices.
The 2024 Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices, a revised version of a similar code enacted in 2015, contains the same loopholes that drug companies exploit to compensate doctors in unethical ways. argue the critics. But industry groups support the new code.
“It prohibits companies from making travel or entertainment arrangements for physicians or their families unless they are speakers in continuing medical education or continuing professional development programs. These are widely used loopholes.” said Malini Isola of All India Counter-Drugs. the network told DH.
The code, announced last week, includes provisions prohibiting companies from offering expensive gifts to doctors, providing travel or entertainment to doctors and their families, and providing financial gifts. ing. However, the guidelines lack restraint, leaving the door open for companies to circumvent them.
“For example, many physicians receive significant compensation for serving on scientific advisory boards for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Others serve as investigators in clinical trials. Payment is often covered by legal agreements. However, the new UCPMP has no obligation to disclose payments to physicians for such research support,” Isola said.
The new rule, which is not mandatory for drug companies, is considered as useless as the previous one, according to the Physicians Alliance for Ethical Medicine, a physician group that advocates for legislation against unethical drug marketing. It is said that it has been done.
“Global experience is that voluntary marketing regulations do not work. This move by governments is a complete capitulation to the corporate pharmaceutical sector.”
Under the new code, pharmaceutical industry associations are tasked with overseeing the conduct of their member companies. These associations are required to set up specialized committees to investigate complaints of unethical marketing.
“This is effectively a mere accounting fraud. There is no scope for any penalty against the company except for loss of membership of the association to which it belongs,” said a Pune-based gynecologist and member of ADEH. said one Arun Gadre.
Other penalty provisions include disciplinary action against the company and recovery of money or gifts from the company. In some cases, industry associations may notify the Drug Administration.
(issued March 19, 2024, 19:15 IST)
