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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS TO RESTRICT PHARMA FREEBIES TO DOCTORS
Why in the News?
A five-member committee, led by NITI Aayog member Vinod K. Paul, suggests measures to limit freebies given to doctors by pharmaceutical companies.
What are Pharma Freebies?
- Pharma freebies refer to promotional items or gifts provided by pharmaceutical companies to healthcare professionals, particularly doctors.
- These gifts often include branded items, educational materials, or samples of pharmaceutical products.
- The intent is to influence medical practitioners positively, fostering brand recognition and potentially influencing prescription habits.
Review of Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP):
- The panel, after reviewing the UCPMP, recommends modifications to address concerns.
- While suggesting that the UCPMP should remain voluntary, it emphasizes the need for enforceability to penalize violations.
Key Measures Proposed:
- Disclosure of Branded Gifts: Doctors should disclose the price of branded gifts received, and the value should not exceed ₹1,000.
- Restrictions on CME Workshops: Prohibition of Continuous Medical Education (CME) workshops for doctors in foreign locations.
- Taxation on Research Funding: Money received by medical practitioners from pharmaceutical companies for research should be taxable.
- TDS: “Tax deduction at source for free drug samples when their value exceeds ₹20,000 per year, with a suggestion to examine thresholds as a percentage of sales by the Central Board of Direct Taxes.
- Specific value limits: A 100-page report submitted to the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) suggests specific value limits.
