The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : MCI may discuss Pepsi endorsement

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MCI may discuss Pepsi endorsement

Staff Reporter

IMA member highlighted the issue

IMA received endorsement money of Rs.50 lakh
This is a clear violation of MCI ethics code

KOCHI: The Medical Council of India (MCI) is expected to take up the controversial issue of the Indian Medical Association’s endorsement of Pepsi and Dabur products at the council’s meeting in New Delhi on July 7, 8.

The issue of the IMA receiving endorsement money of Rs.50 lakh in 2008-09 and a proposed budgetary support of Rs.1 crore for 2009-10 to endorse branded products had become an issue for about a year now when a member of the IMA from Payannur, Babu K.V., pointed out the unethical move.

Writes to IMA

Dr. Babu had written to the IMA State heads and the national heads in this regard and did not receive a reply.

The relevant documents reveal that endorsement money makes more than 50 per cent of the proposed budget for 2009-10 at Rs.1,94,43,000.

In the previous years too, the IMA had received endorsement money. In 2006-07, Rs.40 lakh was received on this account while in 2007-08, the IMA received Rs.73.50 lakh.

“The minutes of the IMA’s Central Working Committee meeting in Tirupati in November 2008 had confirmed the endorsement money. This amounts to violation of the ethics code laid down by the MCI,” said Dr. Babu.

All these details were brought to the notice of the MCI through an email by M.V. Bindu, working as a human resource manager at Payannur.

No reply

The MCI replied that they had sent letters to the president and secretary of the IMA seeking confirmation of the same but they did not get any reply.

Ms. Bindu said that it was over a year since the IMA started endorsing the products of Pepsi and Dabur. She said any delay in scrapping the deal would be detrimental to the dignity of the medical profession.

The Medical Council is usually expected to take a decision on an issue within six months, said Ms. Bindu. “The delay by the apex regulatory body also comes in for questioning,” she added.

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