India seeks financial details of pharmaceutical marketing practices, industry caught in a bind
The Centre has asked pharma companies for details of expenditure on marketing in the last one year, putting the industry in a bind.
The details sought by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has to be submitted by 31 July, failing which action will be taken against pharmaceutical companies.The Union government is keeping a close watch on the marketing practice of pharmaceutical companies amid reports of these companies continuing to offer a range of freebies to doctors, despite the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) being implemented to check unethical marketing practices.
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A communication, dated 29 May, has been issued by the government to all the pharmaceutical associations to fulfil the compliance as per the targeted deadline.
'The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) has directed for the submission of the self-declaration and disclosure of marketing expenditure under the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024. The timeline for submissions pertaining to the financial year 2024–25 is now 31st July 2025," said Daara Patel, secretary general at the Indian Drugs Manufacturers Association (IDMA).
The self-declaration is a legal undertaking to be filed by company bosses to assure the government that they are not indulging in any unethical marketing practices to promote their products.
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Patel said that the implementation of the UCPMP guidelines has created a sense of caution and transparency in the marketing practice of the companies which is good for the industry.
Sudarshan Jain, secretary general of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance said, 'It is for the first time that such a massive compliance is being done by the pharma companies. The data has to be uploaded on the dedicated portal of the government to make it a standardized practice for the companies for further point of view."
'Our member companies are ready to update the financial details of the pharmaceutical marketing to the government," the industry executive said.
The UCPMP was introduced in March last year with an objective to bring about transparency and ensure ethical conduct in the marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies and restrict them from offering freebies such as gifts, travel, hospitality and monetary benefits to doctors for prescribing a particular medicine.
According to government data, India is home to approx. 3,000 drug making companies and 10,500 manufacturing units. The industry is projected to reach a value of $130 billion by 2030.
Queries sent to the department of pharmaceutical spokesperson remained unanswered till press time.
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This entire exercise is being done in the backdrop of the Micro Labs controversy: the makers of Dolo650 mg allegedly offered freebies to doctors during the pandemic to prescribe the anti-fever medicine.
Last year in December, DoP, accused Abbvie Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd of breaching the guidelines of the UCPMP by allegedly sponsoring vacations for 30 medical professionals to Monaco and Paris. The company could not be contacted for comment.
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