Pakistan has banned doctors-sponsored foreign visits in a major move.
Pakistan has banned doctor-sponsored foreign visits in a major move to address concerns about the influence of pharmaceutical companies on doctors.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has banned doctors and hospital staff from going on foreign trips sponsored by pharmaceutical groups through a recent circular titled “Foreign Travel“.
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The circular outlines strict measures to curb the pharma-physician nexus, stating that all leave applications by Pakistani doctors must be accompanied by an affidavit from the officers concerned.
The affidavit should confirm that the foreign trips are not for attending conferences or seminars and are not sponsored by a private company or donor.
At the same time, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has introduced a new code of conduct for pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals, with the new regulations expressly barring drug companies from covering travel expenses of doctors’ families and others.
As per the latest guidelines, doctors have to obtain NOC for foreign travel. The initiative aims to ensure transparency and accountability in interactions between medical professionals and pharmaceutical establishments.
It is worth noting that pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan are known to provide gifts including expensive items and entertainment trips to doctors.
In return, doctors are often accused of prescribing drugs from these companies to patients, benefiting the companies financially.
Also read this: Why Don’t Women Get Jobs After Becoming Doctors?
