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Healthy Skepticism Library item: 18790

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

 

Publication type: Unpublished Work

Open Letter To The President. Indian Medical Aossciation
2010 Nov 8


Full text:

To,
The President, I.M.A. House, Indraprastha Marg, New Delhi-110 002.
Fax number 011-23379470, 23379178, nationalpresident.imahg@gmail.com,
inmedici@vsnl.com

Dear President,
We express great concern with regard to the show cause notice issued to
Dr K V Babu a state working committee member of Indian Medical
Association, Payyannur Branch of Kannur, by Indian Medical Association,
Kerala state branch by its State Secretary Dr J Rajagopalan Nair in his
letter dated 13th October 2010, number IMA KSR/SS/HQ/708/2009-10.

The letter by the state secretary of Indian Medical Association of
Kerala mentions the reason for this show cause, notice is Dr Babu’s
persistent opposition to the PEPSI FOOD Co’s endorsement by IMA
headquarters. We strongly endorse the campaign launched against Pepsi
endorsement. Dr K V Babu has been rightly campaigning for the ethical
values of the medical profession, which to a large extent have been
totally neglected by IMA. This show cause notice is deeply ironical
given the fact that the Medical Council of India has in fact issued a
show cause notice to the IMA for its endorsement of PEPSI products.
(Please see “Endorsing products against MCI code of ethics” in THE
HINDU, dated 4th November 2010,
http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/04/stories/2010110453580200.htm). Under the
MCI code of ethics, it is unethical for doctors to endorse any drug, and
the MCI itself has clarified that any endorsement by a professional
association of commercial products is violation of its code. So we fail
to understand how the IMA can penalize Dr. KV Babu for taking a stand in
keeping with the MCI’s code of ethics.

To undermine the onslaught of the misleading drug promotion by drug
companies we need doctors who are ready to stand up and oppose such
deceptive promotion leave aside being party to it. IMA and its branches
should encourage such members to come forward to take up such issues to
the larger public rather than punishing them by issuing such punitive
notices.

There is no dearth of information as to how drug companies have been
misleading doctors. (www.healthyskepticism.org & www.drugpromo.info).
At this juncture we may remind you that the people’s trust in the
integrity of the medical profession in India is at low ebb. This is a
time to reaffirm ethical values in the way we conduct our professional
work, and in the way we conduct the affairs of our organization. A
professional association like the IMA needs to remind itself that it had
models of probity like Dr. BC Roy, Dr. Nilratan Sircar, and Dr. Jivraj
Mehta at the helm of its affair
(http://www.ima-india.org/IMA_roll_of_honour.html). It is
a moot point whether the IMA wishes to follow their legacy or the legacy
of its past president Ketan Desai, who is facing serious charges of
corruption and whose license to practice in India as a doctor has been
suspended.

We urge you to:-
1. Immediately withdraw the show cause notice issued to Dr K V Babu,
2. IMA should retract from its contract with Pepsi. IMA officially
should take a policy stand against endorsing any such commercial
products and also encourage all of its members to do so.
We hope to
hear from you by 22nd November 2010. Otherwise we will be compelled to
take issue further.

Yours truly,

1. Mira Shiva, 09810582028, mirashiva@gmail.com
2. Gopal Dabade, 9448862270, drdabade@gmail.com
3. Srinivasan S, 09998771064, sahajbrc@gmail.com
4. Anant Phadke, 09423531478, anant.phadke@gmail.com
5. Naveen Thomas, 09342858056, navthom@gmail.com
6. Prasanna S, 09977216619, prasanna_aid@yahoo.com

Copy to:-
1) Medical Council of India, Pocket-14, Sector-8, Dwarka Phase-1, New
Delhi
110077, Fax number 011-25367024,25367028, Email: mci@bol.net.in
2) State Secretary, IMA state headquarters, Anayara, Thiruvanathpuram
695029, Kerala.
Mobile 09447154066, drnairjrajagopal@gmail.com,
3) Dr K V Babu, Kerala, drbabukv@gmail.com

 

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