The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on August 05, 2022, issued a notification regarding the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) for Pharmaceutical companies, which was set-up in January 01, 2015, to prevent unethical practices by the pharmaceutical companies. This code administers the conduct of pharmaceutical companies in their marketing practices, duly covering the various aspects such as medical representatives, textual and audio-visual promotional materials, samples, gifts, etc. Further, the code establishes relationship with healthcare professionals, wherein the provisions related to travel facilities, hospitality and cash or monetary grants to physicians or their families have been elaborated.
The uniform code also details the mode of operation of the code, responsibilities of the Pharmaceutical Associations in constituting the Ethics Committee for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (ECPMP) for handling the complaints and Apex Ethics Committee for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (AECPMP) for review, procedure of lodging a complaint, procedure of handling of complaints by the Pharmaceutical Associations and various penalty provisions.
[Release ID: 1848757]