The Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) has suspended the medical registrations of three dermatologists from Gujarat for 13 months after finding them guilty of violating professional ethics by accepting a company-sponsored foreign trip. The disciplinary action is being seen as one of the rare instances where a state medical council has taken strict action against doctors for accepting travel and hospitality benefits from a pharmaceutical company.
The three doctors—Dr Jagdishkumar Sakhiya and Dr Ami Shah from Surat, and Dr Geeta Patel from Ahmedabad—were among nearly 30 healthcare professionals from nine states who travelled to Paris and Monaco in 2024 to attend international dermatology conferences. According to the council, the expenses for the trip, including travel and hospitality, were reportedly borne by AbbVie Healthcare India Pvt Ltd. The benefits received by each participant were said to be worth more than Rs 1 lakh.
Investigation began after matter reached the National Medical Commission
The matter first came under scrutiny after it was referred to the National Medical Commission (NMC), which was investigating allegations that doctors across several states had accepted sponsored international travel from pharmaceutical companies. Besides Gujarat, doctors from Maharashtra, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi, Assam and Kerala were also found to have received similar benefits.
According to earlier reports, the total cost of the overseas trip involving the doctors was estimated at around Rs 2 crore. The NMC had directed state medical councils to investigate the matter and take appropriate disciplinary action wherever required.
Senior dermatologist among those suspended
The suspension has attracted particular attention because one of the doctors, Dr Jagdishkumar Sakhiya, is a prominent figure in the field of dermatology. He serves as the Organising Secretary of Dermacon 2027, the international conference of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL). He is also the President of the Gujarat chapter of IADVL and the founder of a chain of skin clinics.
The inclusion of a senior office-bearer in the disciplinary action has made the case one of the most significant ethics-related decisions taken by the Gujarat Medical Council in recent years.
GMC says doctors breached ethical regulations
In its order dated June 30, the Gujarat Medical Council stated that the doctors had violated Clause 6.8 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, which prohibits registered medical practitioners from accepting travel facilities, hospitality or similar benefits from pharmaceutical and allied healthcare companies.
The council also referred to the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) of 2014 and 2024, along with resolutions passed by the General Body and Executive Committee of the GMC, while arriving at its decision.
The council observed that accepting such benefits compromises professional ethics and undermines public confidence in the medical profession.
Doctors were given an opportunity to present their case
Before issuing the suspension order, the Gujarat Medical Council served show-cause notices to the three doctors, asking them to explain their position. According to council sources, the doctors submitted documents and responses on January 8 and again on June 29.
After examining their submissions and the available records, the council concluded that disciplinary action was warranted and ordered the suspension of their medical registrations for 13 months.
Suspension means doctors cannot practise in Gujarat
The council’s order states that during the suspension period, the three doctors will not be allowed to practise medicine in any form anywhere in Gujarat. They will also lose all rights and privileges associated with their registration under the Gujarat Medical Council.
The order further states that their names can be restored to the medical register only after the completion of the suspension period and subject to compliance with the provisions of the relevant laws and regulations. However, the doctors have the right to challenge the decision by filing an appeal under the provisions of the National Medical Commission.
Part of a wider crackdown on industry-sponsored benefits
The Gujarat Medical Council’s decision is part of a broader nationwide effort to enforce ethical standards in the medical profession. Earlier this year, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the National Medical Commission issued reminders to state medical councils, directing them to complete pending investigations into pharma-sponsored trips in a time-bound manner.
While some state medical councils have already initiated disciplinary proceedings, others are yet to submit their action-taken reports to the NMC. The Gujarat order is among the first major outcomes of this nationwide exercise and is expected to serve as an important precedent for similar cases in the future.
The action also sends a strong message that violations of medical ethics involving industry-sponsored travel and hospitality will face stricter scrutiny, reinforcing the importance of transparency and professional independence in the healthcare sector.
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