Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is treading shaky ground. It has signed deals to back commercial products, raising ethical concerns.
Now Tropicana Juice and Quaker Oats have the stamp of approval of the IMA. It's a global first across all PepsiCo's markets. In a three-year promotional deal, the two products will receive IMA's approval in return for Rs 50 lakh.
The move has already invited widespread criticism.
"Suppose we hold a health awareness programme in school, or hold a camp to tell adults about the benefits of oat meal, then naturally the expenses will have to be borne by them. We can only provide manpower," IMA Secretary General SN Mishra said.
Experts also raise the issue of ethics. While doctors cannot endorse any particular brand but the medical body of 1,76,000 doctors is free to do so.
Surprisingly this is not IMA's first endorsement. In the past they entered into a Rs 3 crore deal with Eureka Forbes, have also certified Dettol soap and Procter & Gamble's Pampers diapers.
Reckitt Benkiser's painkiller Disprin also has IMA's stamp of approval.
"IMA should change its name to Indian Marketing Association instead of Indian Medical Association," Centre for Science and Environment Director Sunita Narain says.
Doctors are calling the move shocking, saying the IMA has not weighed in the health impact their endorsement could have.
"The moment a brand is being endorsed by the medical fraternity, for the common man it becomes a healthy food. So we should be a little more careful when we are getting it endorsed," Ritika Sammadar, a doctor, says.
Meanwhile, the health ministry has strongly condemned the move and asked IMA to focus on real issues.
(With inputs from Nikita Mishra, Atul Mishra and Ginny Narula)
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