The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to constitute a three-member committee to examine whether a statutory framework is required to regulate pharmaceutical companies offering freebies and other inducements to doctors for prescribing their medicines.

A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta passed the order on the plea filed by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Associations of India seeking effective regulation of pharmaceutical marketing practices.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, earlier submitted that the government had held deliberations with the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Legal Affairs on the issue. He submitted that while there are existing regulations governing medical practitioners and prohibiting them from accepting gifts, hospitality, travel facilities and monetary grants from pharmaceutical companies, there was a need to examine whether a statutory mechanism should also regulate pharmaceutical companies.

The Centre proposed a three-member committee to examine the issue and sought two months for it to submit its report.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for the petitioners, had questioned the need for another committee, pointing out that the Centre had constituted a high-level committee on the issue in 2022. He submitted that despite the earlier exercise, no legally enforceable mechanism had been put in place.

The court today directed the Centre to constitute a three-member committee to examine the issue.