The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) is planning to come out with a new Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) after consulting all the stakeholders in one months time. This is expected to help pharma companies in the country to adopt UCPMP.
UCPMP is a voluntary code that should be adopted by pharmaceutical industry to curb unethical practices in the healthcare sector. UCPMP bears significance as pharmaceutical companies have been accused of massive enticements to secure prescriptions from the medical fraternity for a very long time.
Says secretary, DoP, Dr. V K Subburaj , "UCPMP is a voluntary exercise and pharma companies have not accepted it till date. Since it is voluntary, there is no penalty stipulated on the same. Voluntary system has not worked because stakeholders were not consulted before it was issued. We will come out with a new code in one month's time which will be acceptable to all."
Earlier, the department had extended the adoption of UCPMP by two months from July 1 to August 31, 2015. The department had directed pharma companies to adopt UCPMP for a period of six months with effect from January 1, 2015 which came to an end on June 30, 2015.
Presently, the DoP is reviewing the voluntary compliance of the UCPMP by the pharma companies and is engaged in discussions with the stakeholders from the pharma and medical device industry.
The DoP in November last year had issued the much awaited UCPMP for a period of six months with effect from January 1, 2015. It was also suggested that it would be subject for further review thereafter on the basis of the inputs received by the department.
As per the UCPMP, no gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind may be supplied, offered or promised to persons qualified to prescribe or supply drugs, by a pharmaceutical company or any of its agents i.e. distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc. Gifts for the personal benefit of healthcare professionals and family members (both immediate and extended) (such as tickets to entertainment events) also are not be offered or provided. As per the new UCPMP, free samples of drugs shall not be supplied to any person who is not qualified to prescribe such product. Where samples of products are distributed by a medical representative, the sample must be handed directly to a person qualified to prescribe such product or to a person authorised to receive the sample on their behalf.
The document further says that companies or their associations/representatives or any person acting on their behalf shall not extend any travel facility inside the country or outside, including rail, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacations, etc., to healthcare professionals and their family members for vacation or for attending conference, seminars, workshops, CME programme etc. as a delegate.
Besides, companies should not extend any hospitality like hotel accommodation to healthcare practitioners and their family members under any pretext. Companies should not pay any cash or monetary grants to any healthcare professional for individual purpose in individual capacity under any pretext. Funding for medical research, study etc, can only be extended through approved institutions by modalities laid down by law/rules/guidelines adopted by such approved institutions, in a transparent manner.