Ludhiana, August 18, 2014: The Medical council of India (MCI) has come out strongly against the practice of giving expensive gifts to the doctors by the pharmaceutical and allied health sector industry. The MCI approved in its recently held General Body meeting against the practice of accepting gifts more than Rs.1000 from the companies by the doctors. Anyone found indulging in such practice will be liable to disciplinary action as per the clause 6.8 of the medical ethics.
Dr G S Grewal, President, Punjab Medical Council (PMC) said that as per the MCI decision which will come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette, a medical practitioner shall not accept any travel facility inside the country or outside; including rail, road, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacation; etc. from any pharmaceutical or allied healthcare industry or their representatives for self and family members for vacation or for attending conferences, seminars, workshops, CME Programme; etc. as a delegate. Those violating this will be liable to be punished by suspension of registration up to one year depending on the amount of the gifts received. MCI has also clarified that using and keeping agents/touts for procuring patient for diagnosis or treatment by medical practitioners is also unethical as mentioned under the clause 7.19. Dr Grewal further said that the PMC would recommend to the government to make the pharma companies reduce the prices of the drugs as an after effect of this.
Dr Arun Mitra, Chairman, Ethical committee said that this will curb the practice of pharmaceutical industry to corrupt the doctors. This will ultimately help in bringing down the prices of the medicines as a benefit to the patients.