To combat unethical tactics, the center alerts pharmaceutical businesses of a new “marketing code.”
In an effort to control the interaction between pharmaceutical corporations and medical practitioners, the Department of Pharmaceuticals published a notice creating a new Uniform Code. It is forbidden for pharmaceutical corporations to provide gifts and travel accommodations to medical practitioners or their families under the Uniform Code for Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024.
The rule also requires that free samples not be given to those who aren’t allowed to prescribe these kinds of items. This program highlights initiatives to advance moral behavior in the pharmaceutical sector and improve openness in business dealings with medical experts.
What is said in the new marketing code?
As per the recently implemented code, the “Ethics Committee for Pharma Marketing Practices” inside each organization will handle any alleged infractions. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the board will preside over this committee, which will include three to five members. The organization’s Board must approve committee nominations, and the Department of Pharmaceuticals has mandated that these appointments be made publicly available on the organization’s website.
“No gift should be offered or provided for the personal benefit of any healthcare professional or family member (both immediate and extended) by any pharmaceutical company or its agent i.e. distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc,” according to the UCPMP regulations. Similarly, it said that no pharmaceutical business or its agent, such as distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc., may provide, furnish, or guarantee any individual competent to prescribe or supply pharmaceuticals any financial advantage or benefit in kind.
Furthermore, it said that travel facilities, whether within or outside the nation, such as train, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacations, etc., should not be offered to healthcare professionals or their families in exchange for attending conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. by the companies, their representatives, or anyone acting on their behalf. According to the UCPMP code, companies or their agents should not, under any circumstances, provide cash or monetary grants to any healthcare professional or members of their immediate or extended families.
A medicine cannot be advertised in a way that conflicts with the conditions of its marketing permission, nor may it be promoted before the relevant authority has granted its marketing approval, allowing for its sale or distribution, in accordance with the law.
“Information about drugs must be balanced, up-to-date, verifiable, must not mislead either directly or by implication; accurately reflect current knowledge or responsible opinion; and must be capable of substantiation, which must be provided without delay, at the request of the members of the medical and pharmacy professions, including members of other professions employed in the pharmaceutical industry,” it said.
Penalties for breaking the code
In compliance with the code’s requirements, pharmaceutical companies must keep detailed records that include product names, physician names, sample numbers distributed, and the dates on which samples were sent to medical professionals. Moreover, the regulation stipulates that a company’s annual domestic sales revenue cannot be greater than 2% of the entire monetary worth of samples it distributes.
If the code is broken, the guilty organization must release a correction statement using the same media outlets that are utilized to distribute promotional content, whether it be audiovisual or written. The corrective statement’s distribution schedule, method, and content must all get committee approval in advance.
In addition, any money or materials that were given to the relevant staff illegally must be recovered by the organization that was determined to have violated the code. Detailed reports of this action must be sent in writing to the committee. These steps are intended to guarantee responsibility and conformity with the marketing procedures used by the pharmaceutical business.
How do unethical pharmaceutical industry activities affect people?
Having access to medications is essential for protecting people from disease. On the other hand, a large amount of the income of the socially and economically disadvantaged is used for medical costs. As a result, it is critical to address the unethical techniques used by pharmaceutical corporations, especially those that have as their goal raising the costs of frequently prescribed drugs.
The drugs that are given to patients have a direct effect on their health. Doctors may sometimes prescribe medications that are not scheduled or high-potency and are not subject to the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO). It may take a while for the negative effects of these drugs on patients’ health to become apparent. In addition, physicians may provide unneeded drugs like Becosules and multivitamins. In addition to increasing medication usage, overprescription costs patients extra money. It was imperative to address these practices in order to guarantee that patients got quality, reasonably priced healthcare.
