| Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Current Affairs, Topic: Acts/Bills /Rules Issue: Pharma sector reforms. |
Context: The Department of Pharmaceuticals issued the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024.
- The code set rules for pharmaceutical firms’ interactions with healthcare professionals.
Prescribed Codes& Rules:
- It bans sponsored gifts, cash grants, or foreign trips for healthcare professionals or their families, for prescribing or supplying drugs.
- It mandates transparent guidelines for Continuing Medical Education (CME) engagements and prohibits events in foreign locations.
- All Indian pharmaceutical associations must publish the UCPMP on their websites, enabling complaint lodging through a linked portal.
