Leadership Companion Series – Episode 1
Topic: Adapting Marketing Strategies and Enhancing Customer Skills with New UCPMP Guidelines
Date: 14-09-2024
Day: Saturday
Time: 1:00 PM
Speaker - Mr. Akash Asati, Business Head, Cardiovascular Department, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Attendees-
The series was started with a warm introduction about the speaker by Aastha Jha, Senior Placement Cell Member, followed by a welcome speech by the Dean, Dr. Jagannath Sahoo.
The session started with an explanation by the speaker on what is UCPMP, which are the Guidelines or a Uniform code for pharma market practices by the Government of India. The guidelines are put in place to create a level playing field for all pharma companies and to ensure an ethical approach in marketing practices as well as to bring transparency to the system.
Some of the elements regulated under this act are the key provisions for sales and marketing such as promotional materials, gifts, hospitality. These guidelines are created keeping in mind patient welfare, privacy and safety and not just from the HCP perspective. The claims made by any pharmaceutical company must be completely evidence based and not on individual opinions of the parent company or any HCP.
The speaker further explained how it is imperative to understand where certain words need to be used for example, words like safe and new are to be used only when a particular drug or intervention is promoted for less than 1 year. If a comparison of a product is made with another brand, it must be factual and fair and not misleading or distorted without omission of information. It is bad practice to be involved in dispargement of competitor. The guidelines must be adhered to in order to maintain industry integrity and ensure that product promotion is carried out strictly according to WHO guidelines and to maintain trust and credibility in the industry.
A video clip was played at the beginning of the presentation from the popular Gullak series, to emphasize on how promotional activities must align with terms of marketing approval granted by regulatory authorities. It is the responsibility of the marketer to have a clear understanding to ensure the dos and don’ts of the guideline and the intricacies of how the guideline can align with the company values before training the sales team.
Indian Pharma Alliance and OPPI – Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers in India monitors the workings and conducts regular meetings with marketing and manufacturing companies, negotiations with Government of India, if guidelines have tough implications.
In this era, audio visual as well as textual promotion is the standard of practice amongst the sales and marketing sector. The guideline has clauses pertaining to its monitoring. Some of the regulations are in relation with promotional material needing to be consistent with the codes. The doses, adverse reactions, warnings etc. are to be mentioned correctly. Usage of offensive language or actions, the name or photograph of the HCP or KOL in promotion of the product is strictly prohibited. The speaker correctly explained the difference between editorial and promotional material and what is to be included in each of the literatures. As one of the informative promotional methods, certain HCPs are given journals for them to understand and gain knowledge about advancements in therapy. In doing so, the company should not influence the published work and must adhere to the clearly identified ethical guidelines.
The marketing approval obtained for a drug must be from a competent authority and its information in the literature must be up to date and verifiable without misleading information, which accurately reflect current knowledge pertaining to the therapy. Substantiation and accountability must be provided when requested by medical or pharma professional. Brand reminder guidelines include items such as books, calendars, scientific journals across the globe, models for education purposes, not exceeding Rs. 1000. It should be monitored not only externally by the authorities but also internally through audits. The guidelines about free samples suggest that the company can give only upto 3 patient quantity doses for example, if the sample size is 30 tabs the company personnel is allowed to give less than 30 tabs as a free sample to the doctor. The sales team cannot give more than Rs. 20,000 worth of samples in one year.Every sample distributed gets recorded in the system by the company.
CMEs for knowledge enhancement of HCPs must be organised at a conducive location. The speaker selection must be prudent and photographs of event re to be submitted after event - speaker facing, auduence facing along with signatures of attendees and speakers. The details of event must be posted on the company website after the completion of the event. The event will be followed by audits by the company and the report to be submitted to authorities.
Stringent guidelines are in place in international markets by their Governemnt bodies and Pharma associations. Thus perception of those markets is much different than India. No gifting from the company to the HCP is to be made for a personal benefit of the HCP in order to influence their opinion about the brand. The CME and CPD speakers are to be provided with hospitality arrangements only under suitable conditions during the stipulated days and keeping into consideration proper guidelines. Proper understanding about the approval process from ethics committee for any research the company wants to conduct is necessary from the marketer’s side. It must be carried out at a site recognised and approved by the EC, not as per your choice. Bonafide services - under consultancy agreement between pharma organisation and HCP for finalising expenditure, motive, time, privacy of patient privacy along with professional integrity to be maintained during all phases of the process. When a malpractice is identified or discovered, it is the duty of the ECPMP (Ethics Committee for Pharma Marketing Practices) to send recommendation to Government of India for further action to be taken. Marketing strategy must be in line with the long term window, change in perception, design strategy as well as how it will benefit overall business outcome and HCP prescribing pattern. The Pharma Marketing profession is getting demeaned and we need to apply these roles as to how to follow guidelines and uphold the practice.
The session was concluded after an engaging round of questions by the students, followed by a thank you note by dean for the interactive and engaging session and a thank you note to the Speaker by Aastha on behalf of Placement Committee.
