“There are two methods of generating revenue for a medical conference – sponsorships and registrations,” said Dr Patel. “This is worrying,” said Bhan, adding that the focus should be on the academic substance and not just on hospitality.īut Dr MC Patel, the organising secretary of All Indian Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2017, says he finds nothing wrong in accepting sponsorships. Public health and bioethics expert Dr Anant Bhan pointed out that the success of medical conferences is gauged by the frills associated with them. For instance, the organisers of the All Indian Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2017, which will be held in Gujarat this month, is estimated to cost between Rs 17 crores to Rs 20 crores. Most medical conferences, especially those organised by national associations of doctors, tend to be extravagant affairs. Despite repeated attempts, officials did not respond to queries from Scroll.in. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan has demanded that the government bodies disassociate themselves from the conference. Gupta said he was astonished that the conference was organised in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Medical Council of India.
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However, Dr Narendra Gupta, the national organiser of Jan Swasthya Abhyan, said that the real concern was the lack of transparency on the nature of sponsorships.Ĭiting the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulation 2002 and Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Ethics, announced by the Department of Chemicals in 2014, Gupta argued that “both prohibit pharma companies or their associations, representatives to sponsor any travel facilities or extend hospitality to health care practitioners and their families under any pretext, even if it’s for attending conferences”. “By sponsoring, the company at most may get an advertisement of their product in the journal” published by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, he explained. The aim of drug and medical device manufacturing companies to sponsor such conferences, according to Siddiqi, is to promote their products by having a booth in the venue. “I don’t think a doctor’s clinical decision is based on who is paying for dinner or lunch.” “We strictly follow the guidelines,” said Siddiqi. It is a standard practice around the world for pharmaceutical companies to sponsor medical conferences, he contended. However, Dr Anwar Feroz Siddiqi, the association’s honorary advisor, refuted the allegations. The code disallows doctors to accept anything in cash or kind from a drug manufacturing company. The NGO has alleged that the organisers of the conference, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, have violated medical ethics and codes of pharmaceutical marketing practices by taking sponsorships from major pharmaceutical companies. Jan Swasthya Abhyan, a non-profit organisation, has demanded an inquiry into the recently concluded Global Healthcare Summit 2016, held in Udaipur in Rajasthan between December 28 and 30. This practice of Indian medical conferences being sponsored by pharmaceutical companies has prompted questions from activists. In January alone, at least seven major medical conferences are scheduled to be held in various cities across India, most of them accepting monetary sponsorship from pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing companies. How Sri Aurobindo as translator took selections from the classical literatures of India to the world.In Pa Ranjith’s ‘Natchathiram Nagargiradhu’, love is a many-splendored thing.J&K: Four more Congress leaders, 12 Apni Party workers resign in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad.Watch: Viktor Axelsen makes commentator ask ‘how on earth did he win that rally?’ at World C’ships.Jerry Pinto’s new novel is an ode to friendship, sexual and political awakening in 1980s’ Mumbai.Axelsen, a victor like no other at the moment.Why the Japanese kimono is viewed as symbol of oppression in some parts of Asia.Gurugram man arrested for assaulting security guard after getting stuck in elevator.For young readers: 15 books about the freedom movement and contemporary Indian history.Why a whistleblower’s allegations about a ‘government agent’ at Twitter should worry all Indians.The big news: Four more Congress leaders quit to support Ghulam Nabi Azad, and 9 other top stories.