Pharma oversell clearly needs to be reined back

Source: The post is based on the article “Pharma oversell clearly needs to be reined back” published in the Livemint on 22^nd August 2022.

Syllabus:  GS 3 – Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

Relevance: About the pill peddling and its impacts.

News: The Federation of Medical & Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has moved to the court with public interest litigation (PIL), accusing the marketer of Dolo-650 of bribing doctors with “freebies” worth ₹1,000 crores to recommend the tablet.

A month ago, the Income tax department carried out raids at the drugmaker’s offices. It alleged that doctors were bribed with “travel expenses, perquisites and gifts”. The PIL is filed based on the IT Raids.

What are the implications of pharma companies pill peddling doctors?

Consumer access to many pharma products is regulated. But, pharma firms need to market their products to beat the competition, earn profits and continue to produce drugs for patients. So, they indulge in pill peddling activities

In 2019, the government acknowledged in Parliament that it had got complaints flagging “unethical” practices by pharmaceutical companies. Such pill peddling a) Can push doctors to over-medicate patients, b) Make patients buy pricier alternatives, c) Violate the fundamental maxim of healthcare: do no harm.

How government is regulating pill peddling?

The Centre in 2015 brought in the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices. It is a voluntary set of guidelines to prevent pharma companies or their agents from dangling the promise of gifts and cash to healthcare providers to promote pill peddling.

Doctors are bound by a code of conduct that bars them from accepting gifts from the pharma sector. Ideally, the ethics of doctors should defend patients from predatory business practices.

But, a company found guilty of doctor bribery would suffer a reprimand or at most expulsion by a pharma association, the pharma firm is part of.

The need of the house is corrective action and legal backing for restrictions on pill peddling.