Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Department of Pharmaceuticals issued the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, setting guidelines for interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals.
Aim: It aims to regulate unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry.
Key Provisions of UCPMP 2024:
| Provisions | Description |
| 1. Prohibits gifts | Companies cannot offer gifts benefiting healthcare professionals or their family members personally. |
| 2. Restriction on Traveling facilities | Travel and vacation benefits are limited unless related to Continuing Medical Education (CME) events |
| 3. Financial limitations | Financial benefits or perks are restricted for individuals qualified to prescribe or supply drugs. |
| 4. Ban on CME workshops abroad | Prohibits conducting CME workshops in foreign countries. |
| 5. Drugs promotion directive | Drug promotion must adhere to marketing approval terms. |
| Claims of effectiveness are backed by current evidence. | |
| Terms like ‘safe‘ must not be used without qualification. | |
| Drugs can’t be labelled as ‘new‘ if available for over a year. | |
| 6. Rules violation & adherence directive | Violations handled by Ethics Committees for Pharma Marketing Practices (ECPMP). |
| CEOs of drug companies are responsible for compliance. | |
| Annual self-declarations of adherence are required. |
These guidelines, first issued by the Central Government in December 2014, provide recommendations to the pharmaceutical industry for drug and medical device promotion. They are voluntary and not legally binding on companies. In 2022, the Central Board for Direct Taxes (CBDT) accused Dolo-650 tablet makers of spending Rs 1,000 crore on distributing freebies to doctors.
Ethical issues: Pharmaceutical companies providing freebies to doctors raise ethical concerns as they can influence prescription behaviour, potentially compromising patient care. This practice may lead to biased prescribing, prioritizing drugs based on benefits to the prescriber rather than patient needs, and can erode trust in the medical profession.
