Government has put a stop on the arbitrariness of medical equipment manufacturing companies, doctors will not be able to travel abroad
Medical equipment manufacturing companies will no longer be able to send doctors abroad. The government has notified rules for the medical equipment sector which will have to be followed. The government has taken this step with the aim of curbing unethical practices. Companies charge a hefty amount for these devices and ultimately the burden falls on the patient and his family.
The firms manufacturing medical equipment would not be allowed to send doctors on foreign tours. The government has notified rules for the medical equipment sector. Curbing unethical practices, the government has taken this step.
In fact, many companies manufacturing medical equipment organize workshops abroad for doctors and make arrangements for their food and chute. Not only this, they also bear the expenses of traveling there. They also benefit them financially. In return, these companies benefit from doctors.
The doctors prescribe or recommend to patients the equipment of that company, which bears the expenses. These devices are then heavily priced by the companies, and the ultimate burden falls on the patients and their families.
The DOP, in the notification, has asked the Medical Device Association to ban organizing workshops abroad for healthcare professionals, providing them hotel accommodation or offering financial grants.
It says that all associations should form an Ethics Committee (ECMPMD) for the marketing of medical devices. Complaints should be uploaded on their websites, which will be linked to the UCPMP portal of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. The DOP has also sought details of expenses incurred on the distribution of medical device samples, conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. from medical device firms.
The notification says that no medical device should be promoted before the product is recognized by the regulatory authority. It says that the word safe or security should not be used without any qualification and it should not be explicitly claimed that a medical device has no adverse consequences.
Apart from this, no gift should be given by any medical device company or its agent to any doctor or his family member for personal benefit. It states that companies or their representatives or any person working on their behalf should not facilitate travel within or outside the country to doctors or their family members to attend conferences, seminars workshops, etc.
