- Why in news
- On 23 October 2026, the Department of Pharmaceuticals set up a committee under NITI Aayog member Dr. M. Srinivas to review rules on pharmaceutical marketing practices. It must report within two months of its first meeting.
- What it is
- The Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) is a code of conduct for drug companies. It governs their dealings with doctors and other healthcare professionals, such as gifts, hospitality and sponsorships. It has so far relied on self-regulation by industry rather than a statute.
- Committee chair
- Dr. M. Srinivas, Member of NITI Aayog, chairs the committee. Preeti Sudan and Dr. Naresh Trehan are members.
- Deadline
- The committee has two months from its first meeting to submit recommendations, after consultations.
- Nature of UCPMP 2015
- The 2015 code was voluntary and industry-led, a self-regulatory mechanism.
- UCPMP 2024
- UCPMP 2024 replaced the 2015 version and is the code now in operation.
- Statutory option
- The terms of reference ask the committee to suggest regulatory or statutory measures and a legal framework if needed. This points to a possible move beyond voluntary compliance.
Don’t confuse with UCPMP vs IMC Regulations: The UCPMP is a code for pharma companies and their agents. The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 bind doctors and bar them from accepting gifts and similar benefits from companies.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Unethical marketing can push doctors to prescribe costlier or unneeded drugs, raising out-of-pocket health spending.
- A review may move India from voluntary self-regulation toward enforceable, transparent rules.
Problems
- A voluntary code has weak penalties, and enforcement depends on company self-policing.
- Marketing deals with doctors are hard to detect and prove.
Way forward
- Give the code statutory backing with clear penalties and a monitoring body.
- Require disclosure of payments to doctors and protect whistleblowers.
Put in your answer
UCPMP evolution: The voluntary 2015 code was replaced by UCPMP 2024, and a review is now under way. This shows the limits of self-regulation.
- 2015Mains GS4 · Q11Ethical dilemma of a pharma firm on developing a costly drug for tribal disease
- 2018Mains GS4 · Q1Distinguish code of ethics from code of conduct, with suitable examples
- 2024Mains GS4 · Q12Ethical handling of pressure to rush a pharma company's drug trials
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting regulatory topic; committee just formed with two-month deadline, no outcome yet. Facts are thin for a question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.