Doctors in India demand stricter rules over drug industry gifts

A group of doctors in India have criticised a proposed government order that bans health professionals from accepting gifts, travel, and hospitality from the drug industry but allows doctors’ associations and hospitals to continue accepting money from them.

The Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare has asked the government to rewrite the new rules so as to stop associations from receiving industry funds and to end the practice of drug companies offering hospitals large discounts on drugs that they sell to patients at a profit.

India’s department of pharmaceuticals is shortly due to finalise the new rules on the drug industry in India, although no date has been …