Pharma-Funded Europe Trip Costs 3 Gujarat Doctors Their Medical Registrations for 13 Months

The Gujarat Medical Council has suspended the registration of three dermatologists for 13 months. The action follows an NMC probe into foreign travel and hospitality benefits provided to doctors from multiple states.

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Gujarat Dermatologists Barred from Practice After Paris-Monaco Trip Probe

The Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) has suspended the medical registrations of three dermatologists for 13 months over alleged professional misconduct linked to a company-sponsored foreign trip, according to a report by the Times of India.

They broke professional conduct rules by accepting a foreign trip hosted by a biotech company. This is one of the strictest actions against such industry-sponsored junkets in recent years.

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Who Are the Star Doctors Facing the Ban?

The action has been taken against Dr Jagdishkumar Sakhiya and Dr Ami Shah of Surat, and Dr Geeta Patel of Ahmedabad. According to the GMC order, the doctors were among a group of healthcare professionals who travelled to Paris and Monaco in 2024 to attend international conferences, with travel and hospitality expenses reportedly paid by Abbvie Healthcare India Pvt Ltd.

Two are from Surat and one is from Ahmedabad, and they're all big names. Dr. Jagdishkumar Sakhiya of Surat is reportedly current president of the Gujarat chapter of IADVL and organizing secretary for the upcoming 'Dermacon 2027' conference. He also founded several dermatology clinics. Dr. Ami Shah, also from Surat, and Dr. Geeta Patel from Ahmedabad are the other two who have been suspended by the GMC for 13 months.

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Rare punitive action by a state medical council

Officials familiar with the matter said this is among the few instances in which a state medical council has imposed disciplinary action on doctors over industry-sponsored overseas trips.

The case had earlier come under scrutiny after the National Medical Commission (NMC) examined reports that around 30 doctors from nine states had received travel and hospitality benefits worth more than Rs 1 lakh per participant.

Doctors from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi, Assam and Kerala were reportedly part of the larger group.

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What the GMC order says

In its June 30 order, the GMC said the conduct amounted to a violation of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, particularly the provisions dealing with gifts, hospitality and sponsorships from the pharmaceutical industry.

The order states that during the suspension period, the three doctors cannot practise medicine in any form within Gujarat and cannot claim any rights or privileges arising from their medical registration.

It also says that restoration of registration after the suspension period will be subject to compliance with the relevant legal provisions.

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Doctors may appeal

GMC sources said the doctors were issued show-cause notices and were given opportunities to submit their responses and supporting documents before the final decision was taken.

The order notes that the doctors have the right to appeal under the provisions of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

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Wider probe still under way

When the list of doctors on this pharma-funded trip came out, the National Medical Commission was not happy. Its Ethics Board had already sent a reminder to all state medical councils in May, demanding 'prompt, time-bound action' against the doctors involved. 

Gujarat moved fast, conducted hearings on January 8 and June 29, and issued the suspension. Now, the heat is on other states. Their medical councils also have to report what action they've taken against their own doctors who were part of the same trip.

The case is now a part of a broader national inquiry into alleged industry-funded foreign travel for doctors. Earlier reports had estimated the total value of the overseas trips at around Rs 2 crore.

While some state medical councils have already initiated action, others are still in the process of submitting compliance reports to the NMC.

In May this year, the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board sent a reminder to state councils, asking them to complete the proceedings in a time-bound manner.