Following the probe by the Medical Council of India and its orders to call for 300 doctors across the country for interrogation on violating the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices issued in June 2011, Dr. BR Jagashetty, National Advisor for drugs control and project in-charge for the implementation of two schemes of Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) has now come down heavily on the prevalence of this unethical practice.

Although the allegation is on doctors accepting bribe, receiving gifts like cars and flats besides embarking on foreign jaunts sponsored by pharma companies, the investigation is currently undertaken by the Medical Council of India, and if pharma companies have engaged the doctors into this practice, the act is heinous and difficult to prove. But the fact of the matter is that it is against the ethics of medical profession, Dr Jagashetty told Pharmabiz.

The medical professionals should refrain from such disreputable moves and should be dealt with stern action, he added.

From the pharma industry front the violation of Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices needs to be investigated, pointed out Dr. Jagashetty.

According to the industry observers, it is stiff competition and the new DPCO 2013 which are making the sector opt for unethical methods to generate their revenues by wooing medical practitioners to prescribe their drugs by greasing palms.

Out of the 300 doctors around 100 appeared before MCI's ethics committee on November 17,2014. The Council’s ethics committee in its last meeting called for 150 doctors to appear for interrogation, but only 109 appeared. A panel member indicated that these doctors would be given three chances and have been asked to appear with their bank statement. If the doctors fail to appear, the their names would be struck off from Council records.

According to a media report, “An anonymous complaint was received by the department of pharmaceuticals three months ago.”