Doctors put souls on sale

Medicos' body slaps human rights charges against IMA for openly endorsing brands. Has the oath officially become hypocratic?

Medicos' body slaps human rights charges against IMA for openly endorsing brands. Has the oath officially become hypocratic?

It's a big deal. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been in the product endorsement field for some time now. Contracts have been signed with business houses like Pepsi and Dabur. Now a national body of doctors has moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), questioning the policy.

WHAT'S UP DOC? Several products in your neighbourhood grocery store,
including juices and cereals, are endorsed by the IMA. REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO

Kunal Shah, president of People for Better Treatment has written a letter to the human rights watchdog, declaring that the move could adversely impact the health of crores of people, and especially children, who might overindulge in products certified by the IMA.

The deals in question were inked in November 2008. "The IMA made pacts worth Rs 45 lakh annually in total for the products of both the companies," said Shah. Despite repeated attempts by MiD DAY, IMA national president Goparaju Samaram could not be contacted. However, Honorary Secretary General of the IMA, Dharam Prakash confirmed the deals. "They have been there for some time. I do not remember the exact amount. But it is for health messages on the products," he said. MiD DAY also tried to contact representatives of the two brands, without success.

After the deals were struck, the PBT had approached the Medical Council of India, demanding action against

The Other Side

Despite repeated attempts by MiD DAY, IMA national president Goparaju Samaram could not be contacted. However, Honorary Secretary General of the IMA, Dharam Prakash confirmed the deals. "They have been there for some time. I do not remember the exact amount. But it is for health messages on the products," he said.

the IMA. "However, in March this year, the MCI decided that no action was needed as there was no individual doctor involved. It doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. When an association of doctors endorses some product it has greater impact on people's mind. So it should not have been done," Shah lamented.

MiD DAY has a copy of the letter written by the PBT to the NHRC. "This is due to the close nexus that exists between the IMA and MCI. Most leaders of the IMA are also members of the MCI. The sinister deal between IMA and Pepsi, Dabur is wrong ethically as well as legally and it poses a serious threat to public health. Ordinary citizens including innocent children are likely to fall victims from consumption of excessive amount of these harmful products as a result of the IMA endorsement," the letter says.

78,000 Number of doctors that the IMA represents

The hippocratic oath

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically. It is widely believed to have been written by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine.
"I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be u00a0faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God."

What is IMA
Indian Medical Association is a representative voluntary organisation of doctors, which looks after the interest of doctors as well as the well being of the community at large. It was established in 1928, and has its headquarters in New Delhi, with over 1274 branches across the country.

Prescribed u00a0products

This is not the first time that the IMA has given its seal of approval to commercial products. IMA's biggest endorsement deal to date was with Eureka Forbes for which the organisation reportedly received Rs 3 crore. The IMA has also signed deals with other products such as Dettol soap and Pampers diapers.