Speaking at the West Bengal Medical Convention organized by the Nationalistic Doctors' Forum, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday confirmed that the Centre will very soon place a prohibition on practicing doctors from accepting lavish gifts and freebies, including trips abroad, from pharmaceutical companies by making some amendments in the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002.

"Pharmaceutical companies send doctors on foreign trips and load them with gifts. So, instead of giving normal free medicines and some that are cheaper, the doctors prescribe medicines to please these companies whose hospitality and patronage they enjoy. This is not a healthy practice. However, there is no law at the moment to prohibit the pharmaceutical companies and the doctors. We are going to ban this soon", Mr. Azad said.

The development seems to be a direct result of a letter which the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry had received from the Medical Council of India, seeking an amendment to the IMC regulations, thereby banning doctors from accepting these gifts, as this could lead to biases when prescribing a medication.

Mr. Azad, while criticizing the state of healthcare in the state, shared that the Bengal Government had agreed to provide a "suitable land" for the set up of an AIIMS division in the state. The Rs.
850 crore facility, to be built on about 100 acres of land, will include 960 beds as well as specialty and super specialty disciples. The Minister is now hoping to get this started as soon as possible.