
Freebies by pharma firms now taxable
The Hindu
Demand to have uniform marketing code mandatory
The Finance Bill proposal to tax freebies given to doctors by pharmaceutical firms has led to a demand to make the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) mandatory.
K.V. Babu, functionary, Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Health Care, said that non-compliance of the code by pharma companies not only encouraged corrupt practices but also added up to the cost of drugs. Some companies spend crores of rupees through associations for sponsoring medical conferences. Huge amounts of money are used on travel, accommodation and other expenditures of the doctors who attend these lavishly arranged conferences, he said.
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