With the US framing a policy to break the nexus between doctors and pharma companies, it is high time India put effective guidelines in place to stop unethical practices by drug companies in the name of marketing strategy.
Ideally, doctors should not fall prey to these marketing strategies by pharma companies
I think there must be some kind of policy to break the doctors-drug manufacturer nexus in India. There must be some price control policy for drugs and life-saving devices / implants.
It is obviously unethical for any medical practitioner to accept gifts from drug companies in exchange of prescribing drug manufactured by their companies.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has laid down a code of conduct for its members, asking them to not encourage such practices by pharma companies.
Ideally, doctors should not fall prey to these marketing strategies by pharma companies.
Pharma companies produce medicines under brand names as well as by generic names. Prescriptions by generic names should be encouraged. Any complaints of a medical practitioner indulging in unethical practices can lead to suspension of their IMA membership. The case is then referred to the Medical Council of India (MCI) and they take the necessary action.
—Dr Devendra Shirole,
national vice-president, Indian Medical Association, New Delhi
The continuing medical education of doctors, sponsored by pharma companies, will not be recognised
The Medical Council of India (MCI) has laid down a set of guidelines to keep tabs on
unethical practices by doctors. We are in the process of enforcing these guidelines to
disassociate with pharma companies, drug / device manufacturers and medical practitioners, who are into unethical practices.
The MCI has also announced that the continuing medical education (CME) programmes for doctors, sponsored by pharma companies, will not be recognised. We are coming up with new guidelines on how to break this nexus and disassociate with those involved. Though a set of guidelines in this regard already exists, we are looking forward to effective implementation of the same. Any complaints that are forwarded to us in this matter will be taken up seriously by the council.
—Dr Rajiv Yeravdekar, member, Medical Council of India
Need for a check system to prevent pharma companies from indulging in such practices
In India, pharma companies showering doctors with cash and gifts to get them to prescribe more of their drugs is a common practice. Though it is a marketing strategy practised by the companies, it is unethical on the doctors’ part to accept such gifts. Ultimately, it is the patient who shoulders the burden of all these malpractices.
This nexus between doctors and drug manufacturers has been going on for a long time now.
However, there are a few socially responsible doctors, who refrain from such unethical practices. These incentives offered to doctors come in various forms, such as money, free samplers, sponsored foreign tours and gifts. The doctors, who indulge in such unethical practices, are actually cheating their patients.
The Medical Council of India (MCI) has introduced certain measures to break this nexus between doctors and drugmakers, but the problem is implementation of these regulations in absence of a check system. It is important to introduce a check system to prevent for pharma companies from indulging in such practices.
The drug companies show these gifts to doctors as business expenses and derive tax benefits. The government must stop giving tax benefits to
pharma companies.
—Dr Abhay Bang, director, Society for Education Action and Research in Community Health (search)
There is no political will to come out with any preventive measure to deal with the issue
Everyone is aware of the doctor-drugmaker nexus in India, but nobody knows how to stop these practices. For the last 30 years, we have been protesting against such practices, and have also urged the government to take policy decisions to curb such practices.
But the government has not done anything till now. In fact, there is no political will to come out with any preventive measure.
The MCI has also not done anything beyond framing a set of rules. They have a code of conduct, but they do not have the mechanism to enforce it. It is very important to have some kind of code of conduct for these pharma companies.
In 2005, at the ‘National seminar on pharmaceutical policy and access to essential medicines’ in Kolkata, we had even put forth some suggestions for the government to consider while framing the national pharmaceutical policy.
—Dr Anant Phadke,
co-convenor, Jan Arogya Abhiyan
A national policy on drug promotion in India is the need of the hour
The marketing strategies, adopted by pharmaceutical companies, have become a major issue. A code of ethics must be adopted and made obligatory for all drug manufacturers.
So far, the government has done nothing in this matter. There is a need for a comprehensive code of ethics for promotion of all types of pharmaceutical products. What we need is a national policy for promotion of drugs. Unless there is a policy in place, it is pointless to talk about stopping these unethical practices.
—Dr Abhay Shukla, coordinator, Support for Advocacy & Training to Health Initiative (sathi)
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