Pharma-sponsored Indian CMEs allowed, but Govt sets speaker-to-participant ratios for such events
New Delhi: Noting that pharma-sponsored Continuing Medical Education (CME)/ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs that are being organized within the country are permitted without any approval in the country, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has recently issued a clarification on the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024. The clarification sets a limit for the Speakers to Participants ratio, stating that organizers shall ensure that the number of Speakers is kept within the Speakers-to-participants ratio of 1:10
The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) issued a clarification On October 5, 2024 to all pharmaceutical associations regarding the speakers and participants under the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024. The DOP stated that this norm would apply for any kind of pharma sponsored CME, CPD and even conferences, seminars, workshops, etc., being organized by third parties
The clarification is clearly stated.
"With reference to Para 6.2 of the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, notified by this department on 12th March, 2024, it is hereby clarified that there is no requirement of prior approval from DoP in respect of the Continuing Medical Education (CME)/ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes being organized within the country. However, the organizers shall ensure that number of Speakers is kept within the Speakers to Participants ratio of 1:10. The same norm would apply to conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. being organized by the third parties., "Joint Secretary Ravindra Pratap Singh said.
Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the Government had brought in UCPMP in the month of March, 2024 as a first framework guiding ethical marketing practices within the pharmaceutical industry in India. It set some guidelines specific related to events and CME.
"Engagement with healthcare professionals for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) must adhere to a transparent and verifiable set of guidelines. UCPMP prohibits Conduct of such events in foreign locations and even for India state that CME/CPD must be done with Medical Colleges/Teaching Institutions/Universities/Hospitals, Professional Associations of Doctors/Specialists, NIPERs, Laboratories of ICMR, DBT, CSIR etc, Pharma Colleges/other academic and research institutions. Pharmaceutical companies, including their trusts/associations, either alone or in collaboration with professional bodies, institutions mentioned before," the UCPMP had stated.
The UCPMP had also called for transparency of their sponsorships,"All pharmaceutical companies should share the details of such events conducted by them, including the expenditures incurred thereupon, on their website, and may be subject to independent, random, or risk-based audit for this purpose. All organizers of such events should explicitly spell out the procedure followed in the selection of participants and speakers, display a statement of their funding sources and expenditures on their website, and may be subject to special audit for this purpose."
Entities incurring expenditure on such events, as well as participants and speakers, must comply with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961 as amended from time to time; the guidelines further added
