The Indian Medical Association (IMA), an apex body representating over 3.5 lakh doctors in the country has written to Prime Minister seeking clarification if he in a meeting recently warned the pharma firms of bribing doctors and breaching ethical market practices. The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has, however, outrightly rejected the allegations, stating that no such matter was discussed in the meeting held on January 1.

Citing media reports that the PM in a recent interaction with the top pharmaceutical companies had warned them against bribing doctors with women, foreign trips and gadgets,” the IMA in its letter titled ‘Deny or Prove or Apologise’, has sought a clarification from the “office of the Prime Minister if such a meeting ever happened” and that “such a statement was made by the Prime Minister”.

In response to the IMA allegations,  the IPA tweeted that “There was no discussion on alleged bribes being given by pharma companies to doctors as being reported in media. Meeting was constructive one where discussion was limited to initiatives to boost industry. News reports to contrary are baseless.”

The Prime Minister had convened meeting with healthcare industry on January 1. On the other hand, the IMA letter read, “IMA demands to know that if the Government had details of the companies involved in supplying woman to doctors why it chose to invite them for a meeting rather than initiate a criminal proceedings. Moreover, it is imperative on the PMO now to release the names of doctors convicted or otherwise as well.”

“The state medical councils should initiate appropriate action if the doctors have been convicted on moral turpitude.”

The letter signed by IMA President and General Secretary Dr Ranjan Sharma and Dr RV Asokan respectively also demanded “details of the companies involved in supplying women to doctors” while noting that “the government will not be able to prove these allegations”.  In fact, it alleged that the purpose (of taking up such issues) seems to divert the attention from unresolved issues regarding heal of the people and the medical education in the country.

It enlisted various issues such as government’s flagship health scheme Ayushmaan Bharat, calling it a  non-starter in the private hospitals and was operating more in the government hospitals where the treatment was anyways free.  Also, “there is no investment either in infrastructure or human resources. Violence on doctors has increased. The Government has failed to provide security the doctors hence the IMA has reasons to believe that such crude tactics is to divert the attention of the people from the real issues in health sector,” said the letter.