iDentistry The Journal identistry_jan_april2019 | Page 37

The Journal
violation of the laws of the land or be involved in
any matter that is against public policy. He shall
not be convicted by a court of law for offences
involving moral turpitude / criminal acts.
15. Relationship with Pharmaceutical
Companies and Medical and Dental Industry:
a. Gifts, Travel, Hospitality and Monetary
Grants: A Dental Surgeon shall not receive any
gift from any pharmaceutical or allied health
care industry and their sales people or
representatives. A Dental Surgeon shall not
accept any travel facility inside the country or
outside, including rail, air, ship, cruise tickets,
paid vacations etc. from any pharmaceutical or
allied healthcare industry or their
representatives for self and family members for
vacation or for attending conferences,
seminars, workshops, CDE/CME program etc.,
as a delegate. A Dental Surgeon shall not
receive any cash or monetary grants from any
pharmaceutical and allied healthcare industry
for individual purpose in individual capacity
under any pretext. Funding for medical
research, study etc. can only be received
through approved institutions and Professional
Organizations by modalities laid down by law /
rules / guidelines adopted by such approved
institutions, in a transparent manner. It shall
always be fully disclosed.
b.
Dental / Medical Research: A Dental
Surgeon may carry out, participate in, and work
in research projects funded by pharmaceutical
and allied healthcare industries. A Dental
Surgeon is obliged to know that the fulfillment of
the below mentioned points (Point) will be an
imperative for undertaking any research
assignment / project funded by industry - for
being proper and ethical. Thus, in accepting
such a position a Dental surgeon shall:
(1) Ensure that the particular research
proposal(s) has the due permission from the
competent concerned authorities.
37
(2) Ensure that such a research project(s) has
the clearance of national / state / institutional
ethics committees / bodies.
(3) Ensure that it fulfils all the legal requirements
prescribed for medical research.
(4) Ensure that the source and amount of
funding is publicly disclosed at the beginning
itself.
(5) Ensure that proper care and facilities are
provided to human volunteers, if they are
necessary for the research project.
(6) Ensure that undue animal experimentations
are not done and when these are necessary
they are done in a scientific and a humane way.
(7) Ensure that while accepting such an
assignment a Dental Surgeon shall have the
freedom to publish the results of the research in
the greater interest of the society by inserting
such a clause in the MOU (Memorandum of
Understanding) or any other document /
agreement for any such assignment.
c. Maintaining Professional Autonomy:
In dealing with pharmaceutical and allied
healthcare industry, a Dental Surgeon shall
always ensure that there shall never be any
compromise either with his / her own
professional autonomy and / or with the
autonomy and freedom of the medical
institution.
d. Affiliation:
A Dental Surgeon may work for pharmaceutical
and allied healthcare industries in advisory
capacities, as consultants, as researchers, as
treating doctors or in any other professional
capacity. In doing so, a medical practitioner
shall always:
Vol. 15
No. 1
Jan-April 2019