Karachi: Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry has formally urged the Punjab government to immediately review and lift its blanket ban on the entry of medical representatives into public sector hospitals, warning that the policy, coupled with criminal cases and arrests, risks disrupting patient care, professional collaboration and the healthcare system at large.
In a letter addressed to Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Salman Rafique, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) said the complete prohibition on medical representatives was excessive and counterproductive, and could deprive doctors of access to updated scientific and educational information essential for clinical decision making.
The letter, written by PPMA Chairman Dr Mohammad Tahir Azam, comes amid strict enforcement of Punjab Health Department directives that bar pharmaceutical company representatives from all government hospitals and instruct administrations to initiate criminal proceedings rather than issuing warnings for violations.
The controversy escalated after FIRs were registered and four pharmaceutical company representatives, including senior management officials, were arrested during an inspection at Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot. The arrests triggered widespread concern across the pharmaceutical sector, pharmacists and sales professionals, who described the action as unprecedented.
According to PPMA, medical representatives play a strictly professional role by sharing scientific data on medicines, treatment guidelines and recent developments in medical research. The association argued that a total ban undermines informed prescribing and could place additional strain on already overstretched doctors.
“Instead of structured regulation, the industry is being met with criminalisation,” a senior PPMA official said, adding that such actions risk portraying pharmaceutical professionals as offenders rather than contributors to healthcare delivery.
Industry representatives also pointed out that local pharmaceutical companies supply medicines to government hospitals at highly subsidised rates, often well below market prices, to ensure continuity of treatment for poor patients. They said companies have historically supported public hospitals through equipment provision, facility upgrades and logistical assistance where state funding has fallen short.
Punjab health authorities, however, maintain that the ban is aimed at preventing undue influence on prescribing practices, eliminating conflicts of interest and protecting patients from commercial pressure within public hospitals. Officials argue that repeated warnings were ignored, leaving no option but strict enforcement.
Pharmacy professionals have called for a middle ground. Senior pharmacist Huma Rasheed said regulation was necessary but must be transparent and system driven rather than coercive. She stressed that interactions between doctors and pharmaceutical companies should be routed through institutional mechanisms and must not disrupt patient care.
She warned that weak governance combined with aggressive enforcement could worsen systemic problems and suggested that Punjab revive existing ethical frameworks or adopt the World Health Organization code on ethical pharmaceutical promotion to ensure accountability without confrontation.
Former PPMA chairman Tauqeer-ul-Haq said the association was engaging provincial authorities and considering legal and constitutional options, including formal representations to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, to seek a review of the policy.
In its letter, PPMA appealed for regulated access rather than an outright ban, saying a consultative approach could preserve professional engagement while addressing legitimate concerns about ethics and patient protection.
The association warned that extending similar restrictions to other provinces without stakeholder consultation could have far-reaching implications for Pakistan’s healthcare system.
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