The report on practices of the pharmaceutical industry by Pune NGO, Support for Advocacy and Training to Health Initiatives (SATHI), was based on in-depth interviews with 50 medical representatives (MRs), area managers, Ayush doctors, from six cities across the country, including Mumbai and Pune. The findings highlighted the widespread violation of ethical guidelines, where pharmaceutical companies offers bribes to allopathic and non-allopathic doctors through MRs in return for prescribing their drugs has been exposed in November. The study also pointed out that promotional practices led to prescription of irrational drugs, non-indicated doses and pushes for high-cost brands, even by non-allopaths.

Days after a study in which medical representatives have admitted of paying for the purchase of cars, international conferences, online shopping vouchers and even female companionship for doctors have caused a storm in the medical faternity. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has started a fresh ruckus by demanding action against the researchers of the report. The association has lodged a complaint with Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) against the authors, instead of acting against the outcomes.

Researchers Dr Arun Gadre and Dr Archana Diwate found that doctors, who prescribe large amounts of drugs of a company, can make bigger demands like European holidays with the family, car down payments, credit cards, petrol cards, and online shopping vouchers. However, it raised the hackles of IMA was the allegation that doctors were provided female companionship. Mentioning the account of an MR with almost two decades of experience, the paper cited the case of three neurologists from Mumbai, who were allegedly sent on a fully-sponsored foreign tour escorted by two South Indian actresses. But the paper highlighted that such practices were rare.

IMA demanded that names of such doctors should be made public. Dr Avinash Bhond we, president, IMA Maharashtra said that these are very serious allegations and amounts to defaming the name of the medical fraternity. They have questioned the study, its methodology and have demanded proof from Dr Gadre. He said that the association will not hesitate to act against such doctors provided Dr Gadre proves the charges.

Dr Gadre, who had authored a book on malpractices in the medical community, told TOI that IMA’s outrage is misdirected and amounts to shooting the messenger. The study was carried out scientifically with grants from Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative (APPI) and not the government, as IMA is claiming. The study had made it very clear that pharmaceutical companies and doctors are violating ethical codes of conduct and necessary steps need to be taken. He added that the study wanted to point out that how MRs are caught between demands of doctors and targets of pharmaceutical companies.

Dr Shivkumar Utture of MMC said they will look into the complaint. He said that MCI Act is clear that doctors cannot accept gifts or incentives, but then they can’t take action until there is a complaint. Time codes are designed for pharma companies too.

The paper also found that regulatory codes like Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices exist only on paper.

Source: ET Healthworld