Parliament Question: Uniform Code for Marketing Practices

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1150 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24TH JULY 2026 Uniform Code for Marketing Practices 1150. Smt. Krishna Devi Shivshankar Patel: Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has released a new marketing code for pharmaceutical companies that is the Uniform Code for Marketing Practices (UCOMP 2024), if so, the details thereof alongwith the new guidelines therein; (b) whether it is it fact that a section of doctors and public health organisations have rejected the said guidelines as firms will still be able to continue with their unethical marketing practices, if so, the details thereof; and (c) whether it is a fact that new code is modified version of a similar code introduced in 2015 which has the same loopholes which are present in the new code, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL) (a): The Department of Pharmaceuticals notified the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP), 2024 on 12.03.2024, replacing the earlier UCPMP, 2015. The Code was subsequently amended in September, 2025. A copy of the Code is available on the website of the Department of Pharmaceuticals as per the following link -.https://pharma- dept.gov.in/policy/uniform-code-pharmaceutical-marketing-practices-ucpmp-2024-reg. (b): No such information is available with the Government. (c): The UCPMP, 2024 supersedes the earlier version of the Code and incorporates revised provisions to strengthen the framework governing ethical marketing practices by pharmaceutical companies. These include, inter alia, the constitution of Ethics Committees for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (ECPMPs), appointment of Ethics Officers by pharmaceutical companies, a structured complaint redressal and appellate mechanism, submission of self-declarations regarding compliance, and disclosure of prescribed marketing expenditure. The Code also contains enhanced provisions governing interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals/healthcare organizations with respect to promotional activities. The amendments notified in 2025 further streamlined the implementation and disclosure requirements by requiring companies to submit annual statements with respect to marketing expenditure incurred by them on the relevant platform. *****