Business agreement between a doctor and a reputed drug company is halal or haram?
I need a suggestion from you based on the following scenario:
Dr.X is working in a private hospital. He makes a business agreement with one of the best companies in a country that exports drugs to the developed country. According to the agreement, Dr.X will write a specific drug for a specific disease that the aforementioned renowned company produces. The price of the drug is similar to the price of other companies and quality is superior or similar to other companies. As an agreement, the doctor will get a monthly salary from that company.
Conditions of the agreement:
• Doctor will write the drug in his prescription according to the disease condition/according to the indication.
• The salary should not be target-based.
• The doctor will have control over the agreement and the pharmaceutical company will not be the first priority, but patients will be the first consideration.
• If the price of the drug increases, the doctor will consider alternative drugs for the betterment of the patient following re-evaluation of the agreement. If most of the reputed companies in the country increase the price due to a specific reason, then doctors will choose the drug that best suits the patient. The doctor will consider the acceptable price (most of the companies adopt) and quality. Due to price, quality should not be compromised. A balance of price and quality should be maintained.
• Each party has the freedom to come out of the agreement.
• The hospital has no rule to declare any conflict of interest regarding such an issue. The constitution of the hospital did not mention directly or indirectly that such an issue should be declared. Even, the job contract did not demand directly or indirectly that the employee must declare such a relationship. So, the doctors have no obligation regarding the declaration of this relationship.
• The doctor will not be responsible for any obligation (rules/regulation) applicable to the pharmaceutical company
If the pharmaceutical company agrees with the above conditions, is it permissible to make such a business agreement with the company without harming the patients and earning money? Is it halal?
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