India puts hold on changes to medical practitioner regulations
Changes to India's Regulated Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations have been put on hold. Concerns from the Indian Medical Association and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance were raised over the requirement to prescribe generic medications, claiming uncertainty about quality. The new requirement would have allowed for license suspension for failing to prescribe generic drugs.
The Etiquette and Ethics section of the regulations that does come into effect includes prohibitions on health practitioners' acceptance of gifts from pharmaceutical companies, participation in educational activities sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, or endorsement of any drug or medical device. The new section also allows a medical practitioner to refuse to treat abusive, unruly, or violent patients or relatives.