The Hindu: New Delhi: Monday,
April 29, 2013.
Doctors are
baffled by a government suggestion to amend the code of conduct for allowing pharma
companies to sponsor medical education
Doctors have
questioned the stand taken by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers’
Department of Pharmaceuticals which is now proposing an amendment to the code
of conduct for doctors and professional association of doctors by allowing
pharmaceutical companies to sponsor their continuing medical education.
As per
information received through a Right to Information (RTI) reply by the
Department of Pharmaceuticals, “the Department, late last year, had written to
the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare asking them to consider the
proposed change to ensure that doctors stayed in tune with all medical
advancements,” said social activist Dr. K.V. Babu, who had filed the RTI.
The letter
issued by the Ministry, obtained under RTI, states that it is in the process of
finalising a uniform code of pharmaceuticals marketing practices to be adopted
by the pharmaceutical industry.
“In this
regard, discussions were held with representatives of the pharmaceutical
industry association where special attention was drawn towards clause number
6.8 of Medical Council of India notification dated December 10, 2009, regarding
Code of Conduct for doctors and professional association of doctors in their
relationship with pharmaceutical and allied health sector industry,” states the
correspondence.
What is
worrying the doctors is what follows in the letter, says Dr. Babu. The letter
goes on to state that during the deliberations, “the industry impressed upon
the fact that in the present healthcare scenario in the country, continued
medical education is an important and essential factor in the professional
growth of a medical practitioner. Professionally and ethically conducted
continued medical education programmes sponsored by pharmaceutical industry or
medical associations could also eventually benefit the patients. The existing
MCI Code, however, prohibits sponsorship of medical practitioners to such
conference.”
“The Ministry
has then attached their proposal and states that they hope to meet with the MCI
for deliberations and possible amendments. We don’t understand that when
doctors don’t seem to have a problem with the ‘revised’ code of ethics, why is
the Ministry speaking about an amendment which seems to have clearly been
backed by the pharmaceutical companies? If this is accepted by the MCI, it will
be a U-turn on earlier decision taken in 2009. It will only promote the
pharma-doctor nexus which will not benefit the patient in any manner,” said Dr.
Babu.
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