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The centre has set up a Committee to examine the regulatory framework governing pharmaceutical marketing practices. The Committee is supposed to submit the report within a period of two months after the first meeting.
According to the order issued, the three-member committee will be headed by Dr. M. Sirinivas, Member, NITI Aayog, Preeti Sudan, Former Union Health Secretary, and Dr. Naresh Trehan, CMD, Medanta Hospitals. "The committee shall furnish its recommendations to the Department of Pharmaceuticals within a period of two months from the date of its first meeting, after undertaking the requisite consultative process and duly considering the material and suggestions placed before it," the order reads. However, the first meeting date is yet to be decided. The Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has constituted the panel as mentioned in the order issued dated 22 Oct 2026. "The Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) was introduced by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in 2015 as a voluntary, industry-led self-regulatory mechanism to promote ethical pharmaceutical marketing practices and regulate interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals. Its central purpose was to ensure that promotion of pharmaceutical products is accurate, balanced and evidence-based, and that prescribing and treatment decisions are not improperly influenced by gifts, financial inducements or other benefits," reads the copy of the order. "Subsequently, the Department introduced the UCPMP 2024 voluntary code, which superseded the 2015 version and strengthened its implementation architecture, and is currently operative." It reads further. The Committees of Reference state: comprehensive examination, monitoring, ensuring transparency, accountability, etc. "To undertake a holistic and comprehensive examination of all issues relating to unethical pharmaceutical marketing practices. To examine the efficacy of the existing mechanisms for monitoring, oversight and enforcement with respect to unethical pharma marketing practices, and to identify measures required to ensure greater transparency, accountability and effective compliance. To examine the need for measures required to strengthen the existing monitoring and regulatory framework and to suggest appropriate regulatory/statutory or any other measures and legal framework for implementation of such measures as necessary," states the order. "To discuss with concerned stakeholders, technical, professional and domain experts, institutions or bodies, as considered necessary and consider their submissions objectively while submitting its recommendations on the matter after a comprehensive examination. To deliberate and recommend on any other relevant issue in connection with curbing of unethical pharma marketing practices," it said. "The Department of Pharmaceuticals will provide necessary secretarial assistance to the committee, it reads further. (ANI)
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