Govt Forms Panel to Investigate ‘Unethical Practices’ of Dolo-650 Makers, Act against Errant Doctors

The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been asked to conduct a separate and special investigation into the alleged “unethical practices” of a pharma firm, Micro Labs, News18.com learnt.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Wednesday accused the makers of the popular Dolo-650 of indulging in unethical practices and distributing freebies of about Rs 1,000 crore to doctors and medical professionals in exchange for promoting products made by the Bengaluru-based pharmaceutical group.

The department comes under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

“The minister’s office has also directed the officers to send show-cause notices to doctors whose names have been uncovered after raids on the company premises,” said a government official involved in the matter.

The matter will be forwarded to the ethics committee at the Department of Pharmaceuticals, which drafted the voluntary code on pharmaceutical marketing practices, headed by a joint secretary.

Micro Labs is ranked 19th in terms of sales among the organised sector in the pharmaceuticals industry. The company, on its website, claims to “ethically promote its products to healthcare professionals across the country, covering more than 150,000 doctors”.

The company is into manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products and APIs or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, which act as raw material for manufacturing medicines.

According to sources, the panel will be asked to understand the “modus operandi” of pharmaceutical firms. “So far, we understand that diabetes, cardio and psychiatry are the three segments where these pharma companies invest money and try to bribe doctors,” said the second official from the ministry.

“They lure doctors on the pretext of giving hospital equipment, gold jewellery, foreign trips and other freebies,” he said. “The minister’s office has asked officials to gather all data and information from the CBDT’s raid and take action against the culprits, including the doctors involved.”

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News, watch Top Videos and Live TV here.