New Delhi, June 2 -- The Centre has asked pharma companies for details of expenditure on marketing in the last one year, putting the industry in a bind.

The details sought by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has to be submitted by 31 July, failing which action will be taken against pharmaceutical companies.The Union government is keeping a close watch on the marketing practice of pharmaceutical companies amid reports of these companies continuing to offer a range of freebies to doctors, despite the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) being implemented to check unethical marketing practices.

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A communication, dated 29 May, has been issued b...