New Delhi: Manufactures of medical devices are permitted to provide free evaluation samples to the doctors to acquire hands-on experience in using the product, provided those samples are valued on a per unit basis and its value should be the price charged to the stockist or immediate customer on per unit basis for the same make, brand, product variant and value of the medical device, as part of the uniform code for marketing practices.
However, in case the company has purchased the samples from another supplier, the purchase price should be used for determining the monetary value of free evaluation samples. The price of such free samples should be recorded as the average price charged to the stockist or immediate customer, or the average price paid for the purchase of the medical device for the same make, brand, product variant and value on an annual basis.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) simplified the reporting to arrive at the value of free evaluation samples distributed to healthcare professionals, a year after it notified the Uniform marketing Code to be adopted by the medical devices industry.
The DoP has also made it mandatory for the CEO of the company to be responsible for adherence to the code. "Disclosure of marketing expenditure shall be submitted by the executive head of the company within two months of the end of every financial year or be uploaded on the website of the Association of which the company is a member," the circular said. ET has seen a copy of the circular dated September 1.
Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator, AiMeD, welcomed the Universal Code of Ethical Marketing of Medical Devices and the simplified annual reporting format. "The Universal Code ensures ethical, transparent marketing, benefitting ethical overseas and domestic manufacturers with fair competition and stronger reputations. Consumers gain trustworthy information, safer medical devices and freedom from exploitative promotions or needless medical interventions. Misleading incentives and gifts to doctors including freebies for their families are strictly prohibited, fostering integrity and patient-centric practices."
However, in case the company has purchased the samples from another supplier, the purchase price should be used for determining the monetary value of free evaluation samples. The price of such free samples should be recorded as the average price charged to the stockist or immediate customer, or the average price paid for the purchase of the medical device for the same make, brand, product variant and value on an annual basis.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) simplified the reporting to arrive at the value of free evaluation samples distributed to healthcare professionals, a year after it notified the Uniform marketing Code to be adopted by the medical devices industry.
The DoP has also made it mandatory for the CEO of the company to be responsible for adherence to the code. "Disclosure of marketing expenditure shall be submitted by the executive head of the company within two months of the end of every financial year or be uploaded on the website of the Association of which the company is a member," the circular said. ET has seen a copy of the circular dated September 1.
Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator, AiMeD, welcomed the Universal Code of Ethical Marketing of Medical Devices and the simplified annual reporting format. "The Universal Code ensures ethical, transparent marketing, benefitting ethical overseas and domestic manufacturers with fair competition and stronger reputations. Consumers gain trustworthy information, safer medical devices and freedom from exploitative promotions or needless medical interventions. Misleading incentives and gifts to doctors including freebies for their families are strictly prohibited, fostering integrity and patient-centric practices."
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