In order to control and regulate the marketing practices of pharma companies across the country, the government has formed a committee to review and amend curb malpractices. With the formation of this new committee, the government aims to legally enforce measures against firms involved in wrongdoings.
Mansukh Mandviya, who is the minister of health and family welfare will take necessary steps in discussion with the committee on how all the codes, rules, and regulations can be balanced as these are under separate vertical heads at present,” said a senior government official.
This was ideated by the health minister to regulate the decisions with the help of the committee after analyzing reports about how pharma companies were spending huge amounts of money on promoting drugs.
The new committee was formed and formalised on September 12, 2022; with Mr. VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog being the chairperson.
The committee consists of the following members of the ministry departments- Ms.S Aparna, secretary, department of pharmaceuticals; Shri. Rajesh Bhushan, secretary, Union ministry of health and family welfare; Nitin Gupta, chairman, central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT); and a joint secretary (policy) from the department of pharmaceuticals.
The awareness and promotion of drugs by these pharma companies is presently under the control of UCPMP, the Indian Medical Council Regulations, followed by the Central Board of Direct Tax.
The committee has begun its work and is expected to come up with its recommendation by the end of next three months.
“This is a positive step taken by the minister to bring about balance and good practices as currently there are multiple authorities involved that govern the marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies leading to a lot of confusion and misleading practices. This new committee hopefully will help companies to understand and get clarity on what’s allowed and what’s totally unacceptable. It will be good to have a unified code on the subject “ said Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA).
