In a move to promote ethical practices within the medical device industry, the Indian government has introduced a uniform marketing code. This new code, notified on Saturday, aims to curb unethical practices by restricting companies from offering incentives to doctors.
Under the new guidelines, organizations will no longer be able to organize international workshops for doctors, provide them with hotel stays, or offer monetary grants. The notification emphasizes that all associations must establish an ethics committee for marketing practices in medical devices (ECMPMD), which should be publicly accessible on their websites. This committee will be responsible for handling complaints, and its information will be linked to the Department of Pharmaceuticals’ UCPMP portal.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has also mandated that medical device firms disclose particulars related to the distribution of evaluation samples and expenses incurred on conferences, workshops, and seminars. Furthermore, companies are prohibited from promoting medical devices before they receive approval from relevant regulatory authorities.
To ensure transparency and accountability, companies and their representatives are no longer permitted to offer travel facilities, either within India or abroad, or provide hospitality services such as hotel or resort stays, lavish meals, and other perks to healthcare professionals or their families.
The DoP has instructed medical device companies to publish the Uniform Code for Marketing Practices in Medical Devices (UCMPMD) 2024 on their websites, along with a detailed procedure for filing complaints and a link to the DoP’s UCMPMD portal.
This new code builds upon the Uniform Code for Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, which was notified earlier this year. The move comes just days after the DoP Secretary, Arunish Chawla, announced plans to introduce a new scheme to strengthen the domestic medical device industry. He stated that the scheme, which has received in-principle approval from the Finance Ministry, will be launched within a month.
These measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to promoting ethical practices and ensuring transparency in the medical device industry. By curbing unethical marketing practices, the government aims to create a fair and competitive market environment that prioritizes patient well-being and trust in the healthcare system.
