New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) The Medical Council of India (MCI) Friday asked the country’s doctors to stop receiving gifts or favours from any pharmaceutical companies and said they must desist from endorsing products.
Asking doctors to be ethical, the key governing body of the medicos said: “All medical practitioners shall not receive any gift from any pharmaceutical or allied healthcare industry and their sales people or representatives.”

The notification, which was issued in the New Year, said all doctors “shall not accept any travel facility inside the country or outside…paid vacations from any pharmaceutical or allied healthcare industry and their sales people or representative” for themselves or for their families.

The guidelines issued by MCI secretary A.R.N. Setalvad also said medicos should not receive any monetary grants under any pretext. However, “funding for medical research, study etc. can only be received through approved institutions by modality laid down by law. It shall always be fully disclosed.”

It has also asked doctors that while undertaking research work funded by pharma companies, they must ensure that proper care and facilities are provided to volunteers in case of human trials.

In case of animal trials, the MCI said: “Ensure that undue animal experimentations are not done, and when these are necessary they are done in a scientific and humane way.”

The apex doctors certifying and governing body has also issued them notification not to endorse any brands.

“A medical practitioner shall not endorse any drug or product of the industry publically. Any study conducted on the efficacy or otherwise of such products shall be presented to and/or through appropriate scientific bodies or published in appropriate scientific journals in a proper way,” it said.