The Medical Council of India is all set to reach a consensus regarding the nature and quantum of punishment to be imposed on doctors who are caught accepting considerations in cash or kind from pharma companies in future.

This comes in at the same time when the Union Health Ministry is also hatching out ideas to bring out legislation to curb the `cash-or-gift-for-prescription' nexus that is prevalent openly between the pharmaceutical industry and doctors.

MCI chairman Dr. Ketan Desai, said, "MCI had approached all national medical associations in India, including those of physicians, nephrologists and gynecologists and cardiologists, in an attempt to come up with this new regulation. We had started this process in 2007. We sent no less than four official reminders to these associations, none of them responded".

Dr Bhadranadham, Ex-Vice Chancellor of Chennai's MGR Medical University, who is also heading the MCI ethics committee said, "The MCI had asked to seek advice from medical colleges in all states and prepare a report based on that. The ethics committee is scheduled to meet on March 9. The members are going to prepare the draft recommendations based on those given by state medical councils. This draft will reach the executive committee and the issue will be finally discussed at the general body meeting".

But there are some apprehensions in the minds of some MCI members as well. A senior MCI member stated, "If the government is thinking about passing legislation, it should be for all professions and not just for doctors alone".