ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has asked the pharmaceutical companies to provide details of the doctors and hospitals who have been receiving financial and other benefits from them.

There is a general perception that pharmaceutical companies give financial benefits to the doctors and hospitals who in return prescribe medicines of the companies. However, there are a number of doctors who do not get benefits.

A press release issued on Friday says that Awareness and Prevention Division of NAB has advised DRAP to instruct all pharmaceutical companies to share their data regarding expenses incurred on marketing of drugs and incentive they give to doctors on their website.

The directive has been issued under the relevant law of Drug Act 1976.

The data should contain complete list of doctors/consultants, who were invited for conferences and given financial benefits and other facilities (gifts, appliances, excursion, foreign tours, etc.), says the press release.

An official of Ministry of National Health Services requesting not to be identified said that on Friday letters signed by Deputy Director General Pharmacovigilance Abdul Rasheed have been sent to the three representative bodies of pharmaceutical companies.

“Letters have been sent to Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), Pakistan Pharmaceutical Importer Association (PPIA) and Pharma Bureau with instructions to provide details within seven days,” he said.

“NAB has taken a positive step but it should implement it in letter and sprit,” he said.

State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar while talking to Dawn said that two months back she instructed DRAP to upload information regarding companies on the website.

However she said that she was not aware of the recent development.