Pakistan bans companies' sponsored foreign tours of doctors

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has slapped a ban on the companies’ sponsored foreign tours of doctors and hospital staff, ARY News reported on Monday.

National Institute of Health (NIH) through a letter dispatched to the hospitals being run by the federal government has banned foreign trips of doctors and hospital staff, sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies.

“Iam directed to refer to the subject cited above and to say that in future all requests of Ex-Pakistan leave forwarded to this Ministry shall be accompanied by an affidavit by the concerned officers that their foreign visits are not for attending conferences/seminars and that the visit is not sponsored by any private company/donor etc,” the letter issued by the NIH stated.

Separately, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) recently issued a new code of conduct for pharmaceutical companies and doctors.

DRAP notified the new rules for pharmaceutical companies and doctors after getting approval from the federal government.

According to the notification, the pharmaceutical companies would not bear the travel expenses of the family and other members of doctors. Without issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their respective institution, doctors would not be given the costs of foreign travel, stated in the DRAP notification.