New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought a clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged statement that top pharmaceutical companies bribe doctors with women, and said that Modi should apologise if his comments are based on unverified information.
"We have asked for a clarification from the PMO over the reported statement. But as of now there is no response from the office of PMO," said Dr Rajan Sharma, national president of IMA.
Quoting reports over a meeting between Prime Minister and country's top pharmaceutical companies, Dr Sharma said that there should be some proof behind making such serious statement.
"We want the proof. We want that PMO should prove or apologise," said Dr Sharma.
Taking strong exception of the statement, IMA demands to know if the government had details of the companies involved in supplying women to doctors and "why it chose to invite such companies for a meeting in PMO rather then initiate criminal proceedings."
Tycoons in the pharmaceutical industry like Satish Reddy (Dr Reddy's), Ajay Piramal (Piramal Group), Pankaj Patel (Cadila healthcare), Dilip Sanghvi (Sun Pharma), Dr Habil Khorakiwala (Wockhardt), Dr Rajiv Mody (Cadila Pharma), Sudhir Mehta (Torrent), Pawan Choudhary (MedTech) and Shobhana (Apollo Hospital) were present in the meeting that took place in PMO recently.
An unsigned letter from the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance issued from Mumbai, however, said that the meeting with the Prime Minister discussed future roadmap for growth of the healthcare industry.
"There was no discussion on Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practice in the meeting that took place at PMO," said the statement.
The IMA on the other hand alleged that he purpose of such statement was to divert the attention from unresolved issues regarding the health of the people and the medical education of the country.
"The government is unable to provide security or even legislate the promised Central Law. Even ambulances are not safe. IMA has reason to believe that such crude tactics is to divert the attention of the people from real issues in health sector," an IMA statement said.
The IMA is also critical over Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme.
"Ayushman Bharat operates more in government hospitals where treatment is already free. 15 percent of the money paid to the hospital including the government hospitals is siphoned off by insurance companies..." the IMA said.
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