Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Friday said the code of conduct for medical practitioners prohibits doctors from taking gifts, travel facilities, hospitality or cash from pharmaceutical and allied health sector industry.
Vardhan also said in Lok Sabha that the government hasreceived some complaints of unethical marketing practices by pharmaceuticalcompanies and the CEOs of such companies will be held responsible for suchmalpractices.
The minister said the code of conduct for doctors in theirrelationship with pharmaceutical and allied sector industry of the IndianMedical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulation, 2002prohibits doctors from taking gifts, travel facilities, hospitality and cash ormonetary grants from pharmaceutical and allied health sector industry.
The said regulation empowers the Medical Council of Indiaand respective State Medical Councils to award punishment to a doctor againstany act in violation of code of Ethics for doctors, he said during QuestionHour.
Vardhan said such complaints are referred by MCI to theState Medical Councils concerned where doctors and medical practitioners areregistered. The MCI is an Appellate Authority.
The minister said the Department of Pharmaceuticals hasreceived some complaints of unethical marketing practices by pharmaceuticalcompanies.
Vardhan said as informed by Department of Pharmaceuticals,the complaints received are forwarded to Pharma Associations concerned fornecessary action as per provisions of Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical MarketingPractices (UCPMP), as prepared by Department of Pharmaceuticals.The Managing Director or CEO of the pharmacompany is ultimately responsible for ensuring adherence to the code, he said.