Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992
- (1)No person who produces, supplies, distributes or sells infant milk substitutes or feeding bottles or infant foods shall offer or give, directly or indirectly, any financial inducements or gifts to a health worker or to any member of his family for the purpose of promoting the use of such substitutes or bottles or foods. 1[(2) No producer, supplier or distributor referred to in sub-section (1), shall offer or give any contribution or pecuniary benefit to a health worker or any association of health workers, including funding of seminar, meeting, conference, educational course, contest, fellowship, research work or sponsorship.]
Summary
- Companies that make or sell infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles, or infant foods cannot give any money or gifts to health care workers or their family members.
- These companies are completely banned from offering financial benefits to any association of health workers.
- Producers and distributors are not allowed to fund seminars, meetings, or conferences for health care professionals.
- They are also prohibited from paying for educational courses, contests, research work, or fellowships for health workers.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Can a formula company sponsor a medical seminar?
No, a producer or supplier cannot fund seminars or meetings for health workers.
2. Can a health worker's spouse accept a gift from a baby food seller?
No, financial inducements or gifts to a health worker's family members are also prohibited.
3. Can an association of nurses receive a donation from a feeding bottle distributor?
No, companies cannot offer or give any contribution or pecuniary benefit to any association of health workers.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, can a distributor of feeding bottles give a financial gift to the husband of a health worker?
Q2.Under Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, is a supplier of infant foods allowed to fund a research work for an association of health workers?
Q3.Under Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, can a seller of infant milk substitutes fund an educational course for a health worker?
Q4.Under Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, what restriction applies to an association of health workers?
Q5.Under Section 9 of The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, can a producer of feeding bottles sponsor a contest for health workers?