Pakistan’s pharmaceutical firms have approached the Punjab government to lift a ban on medical sales representatives’ visit to government hospitals and develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) to regulate such visits if need be. Earlier, the provincial government arrested, and released on bail, three medical sales representatives from a public hospital in violation of rules banning them entering the buildings to meet doctors there. Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has written a letter to Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique, seeking an appointment with him and sharing its concerns over the ban and arrest of their staffers. “We are expected to meet the health minister in the next couple of days,” PPMA former chairman Tauqeer Ul Haq told Business Recorder . “The medical representatives (MRs) are responsible to inform doctors about medicines and their side effects,” he said, adding “This is more than a business. It happens around the globe. This is not good for the patients as well.” He stressed that the Punjab government should develop SOPs for MRs if authorities think such visits are creating issues. For instance: restricting the time they can visit, or setting a limit on the number of hours per visit. “They (MRs) can be regulated with the pharmaceutical firms on the board…instead of arresting them. They are not criminals. They are doing a respectable job,” the PPMA former chairman said. Haq added that pharmaceutical firms supply medicines to government hospitals at cost-price to support them. They have also created job opportunities for many youngsters, who work as MRs. “They are doing respectable jobs. If they lose their jobs where will this youth go? They are taxpayers. They are not criminals. They should not have to worry about arrests. There is already a shortage of job opportunities in the country,” he said. Earlier, PPMA senior vice chairman Kamran Nasir said that the association is assessing the situation and will come up with a measured response, including reaching out the government of Punjab to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in the future that will be detrimental for all stakeholders. The Punjab Health Department has enforced a blanket prohibition on the presence of medical representatives from private pharmaceutical firms in public-sector hospitals. It issued formal instructions to all medical superintendents. Under the directive, hospital administrations were required to initiate legal action and disciplinary measures against any one including doctors, it was learnt. The restrictions were aimed at curbing improper influence on prescribing decisions, remove potential conflicts of interest, and protect patients in public hospitals from commercial interference. ALSO WATCH: