The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP)'s efforts to evolve a uniform code of marketing practices (UCMP) to arrest the unethical marketing practice of bribing doctors for prescribing drugs proved to be a damp squib as major differences cropped up among the industry associations, especially between the big and small players in the field. Due to the sharp differences between these associations, no major decision was taken in today's meeting on the issue convened by the DoP.

While the industry associations like OPPI and IDMA, representing by and large big and medium pharma companies, wanted a uniform code of marketing practices which is not binding on the industry, the associations like SPIC, which claims to represent around 5000 small pharma companies, pleaded for a uniform code which is legally binding on the companies. The SSIs pleaded in the meeting in favour of a legal document, on the same lines of such documents in the developed countries, and the violation of the code should invite punishments both in terms of money and jail term for the violators, sources said.

Besides, the SPIC forcefully pleaded for a clause in the code barring the companies from adding promotional expenses to a drug which has been in the market for five years. “Five years is a sufficient time to promote a drug after which the drug should not be promoted,” a SPIC spokesman said.

In the meeting, there was virtual war of words between the associations, especially between IDMA and SPIC over the uniform code submitted to the government in which it was stated that all associations have agreed to the common code. Taking strong exception, SPIC representatives informed the DoP that the association never signed the document as it does not agree with the provisions. Though its representatives were present in two meetings called by the OPPI to evolve a common marketing code, it never agreed with other associations on the issue, SPIC representatives informed the DoP. The SPIC representatives in the meeting went to the extent of challenging that it will file an FIR against the false claim of other associations that the code has been signed by the SPIC.

When contacted, SPIC secretary general Jagdeep Singh said that the SSIs are working for the prices of drugs to come down. “We request the IDMA not to let down the SSIs as it has done in case of Schedule M and MRP-based excise,” Singh said.

The need for a uniform marketing code for the entire pharmaceutical industry in the country arose after it was widely reported in the media some time ago that several companies, including prominent ones, are resorting to unethical marketing practice of bribing doctors for prescribing their drugs.

Faced with a rising public outcry against this unethical practice, the government asked the industry to evolve a common code of ethics for all the pharmaceutical industry as existing codes do not cover members of all the pharma industry associations. The DoP conducted industry-government meetings on the issue and asked the OPPI to take the lead to compile the marketing code in association with all major industry associations in the country.