New Regulations for Pharmaceutical Marketing

• 14 Mar 2024

On 13th March, The Department of Pharmaceuticals released the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024.

Key Points

• Rules for Healthcare Professional Engagement: Engagement with healthcare professionals for Continuing Medical Education (CME) must adhere to strict guidelines.
• Ban on Cash Payments and Gifting: Companies prohibited from making cash payments or offering gifts to healthcare professionals or their family members.
• Restrictions on Travel and Accommodation: Paid travel and hotel stays not allowed for healthcare professionals, except for CME speakers.
• Strict Compliance and Implementation: UCPMP to be strictly enforced, with associations setting up Ethics Committees for compliance.
• Guidelines for Drug Promotion: Promotion of drugs must align with marketing approval terms, and claims must be evidence-based.
• Regulations on Drug Description: Use of terms like "safe" and "new" for drugs restricted to specific conditions.
• Complaint Procedure: Indian pharmaceutical associations to upload UCPMP on their websites, along with complaint procedures linked to the UCPMP portal.