As desired by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) will hold a brainstorming session in Mumbai on May 12 with other pharma associations to evolve a joint code of ethics for the industry in a bid to curb the growing unethical trade practices.

The joint meeting is expected to be attended by different organisations representing small and large pharma sectors and it will work out a common code of ethics to be submitted to the department for final clearance and implementation with a view to reign on the sales promotions and increasing unethical practices like inducing doctors, sources said. Invitations have been sent to all the concerned associations.

The meeting will discuss the different codes of conduct prepared by the various pharma bodies and compile the common clauses for preparing a joint code. Most of the organisations like OPPI, IDMA and SPIC had already prepared own codes for their members, but the pharma department in the last meeting with the associations has desired for 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.

Meanwhile, the associations representing small and medium pharma companies are looking to make sure that the bigger associations do not dilute the stand taken by the SME sector and would like to assert themselves. "More than that, we want to make sure that all loopholes be closed so that it is not misused again and invite the wrath of the public against inducements given to the practitioners," a leader of SPIC said. He said, his association will hold a preliminary meeting ahead of the May 12 session to finalise its stand.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals initiated the move to implement strictly the code of ethics in the wake of increasing instances of inducements to doctors and a series of media reports in this regard.

The department wanted the associations to bridle own members and warned that the department would intervene if the organisations failed to do so. Two meetings were already held by pharma secretary Ashok Kumar with the pharma associations and finally entrusted the job of compiling the common code with OPPI which was one of the pioneers to introduce guidelines to its members.