New Delhi : Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting on Monday to discuss contentious issues related to the newly notified regulations by the National Medical Council (NMC). The minister said he will take an ‘appropriate decision’ after internal discussions, people in the know told ET.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has vehemently opposed the National Medical Commission Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2023, which mandate doctors to prescribe only generic drugs. The other contentious issue discussed during the meeting was medical conferences in five-star hotels with cocktail dinners. The NMC has barred doctors from participating in seminars, workshops, or conferences that “involve direct or indirect sponsorships from pharma companies or the allied health sector”.
“The meeting went very well. It lasted two hours as the minister gave the opportunity to everyone. We have presented what the medical fraternity feels. The government will take a decision later on the issues,” said Dr Sharad Agarwal, national president, IMA. The meeting was attended by IMA officials, drug lobby group Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), officials from the ministry, and the NMC.
