Centre defends Universal Code of Pharma Marketing Practices in apex court

The government further added that it is working on providing statutory backing to the UCPMP code and "it is a time-consuming process, which cannot be completed in haste"

Citing the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA)'s report clearing Dolo-650 maker Micro Labs of the allegations of bribing, the central government has defended the Universal Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) in the Supreme Court. It said that the existing framework works adequately, a report by Moneycontrol said. 

N Yuvaraj, joint secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals cited the example of Dolo-650 maker Micro Labs in the court. The company was charged with bribing doctors with freebies worth Rs 1,000 crore to promote its drug. The IPA in September cleared the Dolo-650 maker of the allegations. 

"These developments show that the existing Uniform Code on