Amid indications that the Government would want to make the uniform code of pharmaceutical marketing practices more stringent, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) will meet the major industry organizations and the Medical Council of India (MCI) in Delhi on July 18.

Though there is a growing demand for making the code binding on the companies, the officials in the Department described the meeting as a 'review meeting' to get the inputs from the stakeholders on the progress of implementation. Major associations like Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) and Indian Drugs Manufacturers Association (IDMA) have been called for the meeting.

“The code was issued officially in March asking the companies to adopt the same within six months on a voluntary basis to start with. The meeting will make an assessment on the progress so far,” sources said, without further elaborating on the agenda of the meeting.

There were also reports that the Government would want to make it compulsory, as demanded by public health activists and in the backdrop of persistent illegal trade practices by the healthcare personnel, even with stricter monitoring by the MCI. However, the major trade bodies did not want it binding on them.

As per the instructions by the DoP along with the code, the companies were asked to adopt the same within six months and individuals companies were also directed to file with the DoP with a self-declaration. The meeting is expected to take a look at how many companies had adopted the code and discuss the issue whether it should be made mandatory.

The code was introduced in the face of growing cases of illegal trade practices with a view to prevent the pharmaceutical companies from offering incentives and gifts to doctors and doctors prescribing only particular brands of medicines.

Last year the Government prepared the draft code and based upon the inputs from the stakeholders, it was prepared and issued on March 19 this, making it voluntary in nature on the part of the companies.