Neither doctors nor pharma firm penalized for sponsored trip to Paris

After the much-publicized claims of a probe in January by the National Medical Commission (NMC) against 30 doctors for accepting a foreign tour to Paris paid for by Abbvie, a pharma company, the NMC has claimed that it has not received the names of doctors against whom action is to be initiated.

In response to an RTI query filed by Dr Babu KV, an ophthalmologist and RTI activist, the NMC has stated that it hasn’t received the list of 30 doctors from the department of pharmaceuticals (DoP). Four months after a government-appointed committee concluded that action ought to be taken against the doctors and the company, no action has been taken against either. DoP did not reveal the names of the doctors involved despite an RTI query seeking the list of doctors.

On receiving an anonymous complaint with documentary proof, a special audit committee comprising officers of DoP was constituted in September 2024 to examine the allegations against Abbvie and 30 doctors. The audit confirmed that the company had breached the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) by sponsoring foreign vacations to Monaco and Paris for the doctors, spending over Rs 1.9 crore.

After the audit findings, the apex committee for pharma marketing practices heard the company’s defence and concluded that it was guilty of violating UCPMP provisions. The committee gave Abbvie a chance to consider remedial action by extending support to underprivileged patients receiving treatment in government hospitals for an amount equivalent to the violations computed by the special audit team. Abbvie rejected this offer and was let off with just a reprimand.

The apex committee requested the central board of direct taxes for an evaluation of the tax liabilities of the company and doctors and requested NMC to take action against the “30 offending healthcare professionals” as per Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.

“It is unfair that the company gets let off with just a reprimand, when the punishment for doctors held guilty of violating the code of ethics is suspension of their licence to practice for a few months. In effect, there is no deterrence even in a case with conclusive proof of violation of the law. This is what leads to the public losing trust in the regulatory system,” said Babu.