New pharmacy code: No gifts or travel restrictions for doctors

The government announced the new pharmaceutical code on Tuesday night, which prohibits pharmaceutical corporations from giving physicians gifts, cash incentives, or travel privileges in return for a prescription.

According to the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP), 2024, which was released today, all Indian Pharmaceutical Associations must establish an Ethics Committee for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (ECPMP) in order to receive and handle complaints about code violations within ninety days of the complaint being received. If found guilty, the code stipulates that the entity may be suspended or removed from the organization.

No gift or financial advantage should be given for the personal benefit of any healthcare professional or family member (immediate or extended), according to the Code’s “Relationship with Healthcare Professionals” section. This includes pharmaceutical companies and their agents, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers.

“Unless the individual is a speaker for a continuing medical education program, companies, their representatives, or anyone acting on their behalf should not grant healthcare professionals or their family members travel privileges inside or outside the nation, including rail, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacations, etc., for attending conferences, seminars, or workshops. According to the policy, “Companies or their representatives should not extend hospitality to healthcare professionals or their families, such as hotel stays, fine dining, or resort accommodations, unless the individual is a speaker for a CME program.”

Additionally, it forbids businesses from giving monetary payments under any circumstances to medical practitioners or their families.