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India Physician Conduct Rules Want Them Off Pharma-Sponsored Symposia

 
• By Anju Ghangurde

Wider-ranging new draft rules suggest that physicians in India should not engage in educational activity sponsored by pharma and urges them to declare financial earnings and benefits received from industry via an affidavit. The Pink Sheet discusses with industry experts some of the nuances and seeming loopholes in the rules, currently in self-regulatory mode but with penalties proposed for violation.

Lens On Pharma-Sponsored Educational Symposia In India • Source: Shutterstock

India’s new rules pertaining to the professional conduct of Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) puts a question mark on the participation of physicians in pharma-sponsored conferences and urges them to come clean about their relationship with industry. The wide-ranging rules cover a gamut of areas including guidelines on social media conduct of RMPs and telemedicine, and also prohibits endorsement of products.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2022, currently in draft form, specify that RMPs should not be involved in any third-party educational activity like continuing professional development (CPD) programs, seminars, workshops, symposia or conferences

Social Media Conduct

The National Medical Commission Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2022 also provide guidelines on social media dos and don’ts.

Among a range of suggestions, the guidelines say that while RMPs can provide information and announcements on social media, this should be factual and such that it can be verified. The information should not be “misleading or deceptive, nor should it exploit the patient’s vulnerability or lack of knowledge.”

In what’s probably a reflection of the far-reaching impact and tactics on social media, the guidelines also underscore that RMPs should not directly or indirectly purchase “likes, followers” or pay money so that search algorithms “lead to their name being listed at the top” or registering on software programs (apps) that charge fees for higher rating or soliciting patients

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