The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) will soon convene the third round of meeting between the government and the industry on the issue of evolving a common mechanism to discourage drug companies from bribing doctors for favours. Early this year, the DoP had initiated the move to implement strictly the code of pharmaceutical marketing ethics in the wake of increasing instances of inducements to doctors for favours and a series of media reports in this regard.

Secretary, DoP, Asok Kumar said that the department will soon convene the third meeting in this regard to find an amicable solution to the issue. Most probably, it will be held in the first week of November, he said. In the last meeting, Asok Kumar had asked the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) to evolve a joint code of ethics for the industry in a bid to curb the growing unethical trade practices. In the meeting, the OPPI is expected to submit the joint code ethics for the consideration of the government.

The DoP had convened the first meeting of industry representatives on this issue on January 13 this year when it faced with this public criticism that the government is silent on this grave issue of doctors being bribed to prescribe medicines. There were reports in the media that several prominent pharmaceutical companies resort to this unethical marketing practice of offering incentives to the doctors for favours. The companies are learnt to be offering attractive holiday packages, both to domestic and international destinations to the doctors on meeting their target in prescribing their medicines.

The second meeting on this issue was held on April 15. Though different pharma associations like OPPI, IDMA and SPIC had their own marketing code for their members, the DoP in the last meeting asked the associations to come out with a common code to be adhered by all companies belonging to different associations. The task was then given to the OPPI to consult and compile these codes and hammer out a joint one.