Separate marketing code: Medical devices industry welcomes govt's move

A separate marketing practices code has been a long-standing demand for medical devices. Currently, the industry has to comply with the marketing practices code for pharmaceuticals

The medical devices industry on Wednesday welcomed the government’s move to work on a separate marketing code for companies in the sector, stating that it would help in giving an identity to the sector as its marketing needs are different from that of pharmaceuticals.

The reaction comes after Pharma Secretary Arunish Chawla on Tuesday said that the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, which oversees the department of pharmaceuticals (DoP), is spearheading work towards bringing a separate marketing code for medical devices firms. 

A separate marketing practices code has been a long standing demand for the medical devices industry. Currently, the industry has to comply with marketing practices code for pharmaceuticals. 

“The code will aim at giving this industry an identity apart from the marketing dynamics of the pharmaceutical industry. It will help in capturing the ethical marketing practice requirements for the medical devices sector,” an industry expert said.

The DoP had earlier published and sought stakeholders’ comments on a draft uniform code for medical devices marketing practices (UCMDMP) in 2022. The code was aimed at bringing in a voluntary code to regulate marketing practices by the medical devices industry.

While no timeline has been set for finalising the UCMDMP, an industry expert said that the industry has held talks with stakeholders on this issue, and a separate marketing code for medical devices is expected to come before the end of this year. 

Speaking on the importance of a separate code, Pavan Choudary, chairman, Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI), said that the code will promote India as a market which encourages compliant companies, and help the industry in skilling the healthcare manpower and help India emerge as a more affordable and quality destination for domestic healing and international medical tourism.

“Bringing a UCMDMP corroborates the fact that the government understands that medical devices (electro-mechanical entities) need to be regulated by code quite distinct from the one used to regulate pharmaceuticals (chemical entities),” he said. 

Himanshu Baid, chairman, CII National Medical Technology Forum and managing director, Poly Medicure, told Business Standard that the code will enable companies to continuously train doctors and nurses on new technologies.

“It is a welcome move for the medtech sector as medical devices will now be governed by a separate marketing code,” he said.