India's National Medical Commission (NMC) has ordered state medical councils to expedite action against 27 doctors found guilty of accepting a foreign trip worth Rs 1.9 crore (approximately USD 230,000) sponsored by pharma company AbbVie. The case, involving doctors from nine states, centers on alleged freebies disguised as conferences in Monaco and Paris in 2024, raising compliance red flags for medical aesthetics distributors and clinics working with Indian healthcare professionals.
Case background
The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) received a complaint that AbbVie provided travel tickets and hotel accommodations for 30 doctors under the guise of the Aesthetics 86 Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress 2024, held from February 1-3, 2024 in Monaco and March 26-29, 2024 in Paris. The total expense of Rs 1.91 crore covered flights and hotel stays. A Special Audit Committee of the DoP found these allegations true.
Doctor distribution by state
According to an RTI application filed by Dr. KV Babu, a Kerala-based ophthalmologist and health activist, the 27 doctors referred to NMC are distributed across nine states: 11 from Maharashtra, three each from Gujarat and Telangana, two each from Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Delhi, and one each from Assam and Kerala. Three additional doctors were found guilty but not included in the government's referral.
Regulatory timeline and NMC action
State medical councils received the names on December 15, 2025, for inquiry and punishment. On May 26, 2026, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC sent reminders to councils in Assam, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and West Bengal for failing to submit action taken reports. NMC has requested these councils to complete the process expeditiously in a time-bound manner.
Regulatory and channel signals
Under the NMC Act, if a state medical council fails to decide a complaint within six months, NMC can refer it to its own ethics committee. NMC Chairperson Dr. Abhijat Sheth stated the Commission would "act firmly... as appropriate." Additionally, the DoP Committee has requested the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to evaluate AbbVie Healthcare India Pvt Ltd's tax liability under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
What buyers should watch
This case underscores heightened scrutiny of pharma-HCP relationships in India, particularly in medical aesthetics. Distributors and clinics sourcing from or partnering with Indian healthcare professionals should ensure compliance with local anti-kickback regulations. The involvement of AbbVie, a major player in aesthetics injectables, signals that regulators are actively monitoring industry-sponsored travel and events, which could impact future conference attendance and marketing practices.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 08, 2026