GD Topic - UCPMP 2024: Strengthening Ethical Standards in Pharmaceutical Marketing

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Senior Executive - Editorial

Updated on Dec 26, 2024 16:24 IST

Candidates planning to get admitted to top B-schools and pursue MBA must prepare well for the entrance exam and the group discussion round. The GD topic can be related to current affairs, business trends, or abstract concepts. Refer to the space below to get information on the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024.

Group Discussion is the second step of the MBA admission process. With MBA entrance exams going on, candidates must start preparing for the Group Discussion Round. After the entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, and MAH MBA CET are over, the GD/PI round will be conducted. Under this round, a group of candidates will get a topic on which they have to discuss for about 20-25 minutes. The judges will score each candidate based on their communication skills, leadership skills, knowledge, time management, English proficiency, and other skills required for a course in business management.

Candidates seeking admission to Management of Business Administration must check the below article on the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2024, which is one of the pressing topics of this year.

What is the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP)?

The Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) is a set of ethical guidelines introduced to regulate the marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies in India. The motive behind these practices is to control unethical promotional activities and regulate interactions between pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders by promoting fairness, transparency, and a sense of responsibility. These codes are crucial to ensure that pharmaceutical companies focus on patient welfare and evidence-based healthcare.

Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP): History

India has one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical industry, catering to the domestic healthcare needs of people and serving as a key exporter of generic medicine globally. However, the industry has often been criticized for unethical marketing practices, including offering bribes to healthcare professionals to prescribe specific drugs. Such practices have led to reduced patient trust, compromised medical ethics, and irrational drug use.

To address these growing concerns of unethical marketing practices in the pharmaceutical industry, the Central Government of India released the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) on December 12, 2014. With the code, the government aimed to promote self-regulation among pharmaceutical companies and ensure fairness and transparency in drug promotion and marketing.

This voluntary code came into effect on January 1, 2015, for an initial period of six months from the date of its issue. The government also stated that if, upon review, the code was found to be ineffectively implemented by pharmaceutical companies, it would consider making UCPMP a statutory regulation. However, due to the voluntary nature of the code and the absence of enforcement mechanisms, compliance across the pharmaceutical industry remained inconsistent. Recognizing the need for stricter regulation, the central government decided to make UCPMP a statutory code, leading to the introduction of UCPMP 2024.

Need for Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024

Although the initial version of the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices was a significant step towards ensuring ethical marketing practices in the pharmaceutical industry, some of the following limitations resulted in the need for UCPMP 2024:

Voluntary Nature of the Original Code: UCPMP 2015 was not legally binding. It means that the pharmaceutical companies could decide whether or not to follow the code. Many companies opted to ignore the guidelines, resulting in widespread violations and unethical marketing practices.
Persistence of Unethical Practices: Despite the introduction of the code, people continued to offer expensive gifts, trips, and other bribes to healthcare professionals to get specific drugs. These practices compromised medical ethics, resulting in irrational prescriptions that could hamper the patient’s health.
Lack of Enforcement Mechanisms: The 2015 UCPMP lacked proper implementation and monitoring of the regulations which made it difficult to penalize the violators. Additionally, due to the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework, many complaints about unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry remained unaddressed.
Demand for Greater Transparency and Accountability: In the past decade, public awareness of unethical practices in healthcare has increased significantly. As a result, there is a growing demand for stricter regulations and ethical governance in the healthcare sector.
Impact on Public Health: Unethical marketing practices including irrational drug prescriptions have a direct impact on public health. This made it essential for the government to strengthen the regulatory framework to protect patients from unnecessary or harmful medications and ensure that prescriptions are based solely on clinical evidence and individual patient needs.

Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024

To reduce the persistent unethical pharmaceutical practices and address other concerns, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) established a mandatory framework, the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2024 on March 12, 2024. It is also known as UCPMP 2024 or The Code. The basic aim of The Code is to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in the promotion of pharmaceutical products and interactions between pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners.

Key Features of UCPMP 2024

The Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2024 has the following features:

1. Mandatory Compliance: Unlike the UCPMP 2015 iterations, the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024 is legally binding for all pharmaceutical companies operating in India. This change from voluntary to statutory regulations shows the government’s commitment to enforcing ethical standards in pharmaceutical marketing.

2. Brand Reminders: Brand Reminders are a way used by companies to keep their brand or product on top of mind for potential customers. These help increase brand loyalty and the likelihood of repeated customers. According to the UCPMP 2024, brand reminders are permitted in only two categories:

Informational and Education Items
Free Samples provided by the Companies to Medical Professionals

3. Ethics Committee for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (ECPMP): Under “The Code”, every pharmaceutical association must establish an ECPMP to oversee compliance. It also states that the committee will be chaired by the association’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and will have three to five members, who will be responsible for addressing complaints and ensuring adherence to the code.

4. Complaint Handling and Appeals: According to the UCPMP 2024 guidelines, there is a structured process to lodge complaints against unethical marketing practices. If a party is dissatisfied with the ECPMP’s decision, they can appeal to the Apex Committee for Pharma Marketing Practices (ACPM). The ACPMP is headed by the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals and aims at resolving appeals within six months, providing a final and binding decision.

5. Transparency in Interactions: The code also mandates that all promotional interactions and activities between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals be conducted responsibly and transparently. This includes various regulations on gifts, sponsorships, hospitality, and the provision of drug samples.

6. Public Disclosure: According to UCPMP 2024, the pharmaceutical association must publish details of the complaints received, including the nature of the complaint, the company involved, and the actions taken. Furthermore, these details must be retained for five years on their website and shared on the UCPMP portal, managed by DoP.

Candidates can also refer to the given below PDF for detailed information on Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2024, issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals on their official website:

Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024

Conclusion

The UCPMP 2024 represents a significant advancement in regulating pharmaceutical marketing practices in India. By shifting from a voluntary to a mandatory code, the government aims to ensure that pharmaceutical promotions are conducted ethically, prioritizing patient welfare and maintaining the integrity of healthcare practices. The establishment of dedicated committees and a structured complaint-handling process further reinforces the commitment to uphold high ethical standards in the pharmaceutical industry.

This framework is not just a policy change but a step toward transforming the ethos of the pharmaceutical industry for the greater good of society.