Desk Report:
The Directorate General of Health Services has imposed strict restrictions on the free movement of pharmaceutical company representatives in government hospitals. From now on, they will be allowed to meet doctors for a maximum of two days a week, for a total of five hours.
The directive was issued in a circular signed by the Director (Administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services, Dr. ABM Abu Hanif, on Thursday. The directive, which was sent to the directors of all government hospitals and institutes in the country, mentions a total of eight issues, of which the most important is the control of the activities of pharmaceutical company representatives.
The circular states that pharmaceutical company representatives can meet doctors every week from 12 noon to 2:30 pm on Monday and Thursday. Their presence in the hospital premises outside the specified hours has been prohibited. During the meeting, the representatives must visibly hang the company’s identity card and cannot collect patient information or take pictures of prescriptions.
The circular also states that doctors in government hospitals cannot write prescriptions on the pads of private clinics or diagnostic centers. The hospital cannot order medicines or tests to be carried out from outside. No private seal can be used in government health institutions, but generic name seals without advertisements can be used. In addition, it has been prohibited to keep a list of medicines supplied by private pharmaceutical companies on the table.
