“Can we run social media ads for our prescription brand?”
Put that effort into doctors, through your field force and doctor-only channels.
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Industry · Healthcare · Pharma
Pharmamarketing
Since 201565+ in-house teamKolkata office, 5 team bases
Doctors, chemists and OTC buyers, each reached within the rules, and judged on what your field force sells.
A strategist calls you in one working day.
/ 01 Pharma marketing agency
Three audiences.Three sets of rules.
A public ad for a prescription (Rx) brand needs the Central Government's prior sanction, so the real work sits with your medical representatives (MRs). PromotEdge makes what MRs carry to doctors, and the stalls and films for conferences, for Indian medicine makers.
For over-the-counter (OTC) brands, we also run trade and consumer campaigns. The aim: more doctors who know your brands well, and more chemists who stock them. We have worked across India since 2015.
Rx medicines are promoted to doctors and other healthcare professionals (HCPs). OTC medicines can be advertised to the public, within strict claim limits.
Hospitals, doctors and clinics are on our healthcare marketing page. Online pharmacies are further down.
- 2015working with Indian brands since
- 65+in-house team: strategy, creative, media and tech
- 4pillars under one roof: strategy, advertising, digital, on-ground activation (BTL)
- 1office, in Kolkata, with team bases (not offices) in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Guwahati and Bhubaneswar
/ 02 Services
Services forpharma companies.
All 10 services in one place. Tap one to see how it works.
Visual aids and leave-behinds
Aids and brochures built around one message.
E-detailing and explainer videos
Short decks and videos for a doctor's tablet.
Doctor-only website area
A website area for doctors only.
Field-force library
Approved material for MRs, with an AI check first.
Conference stalls and films
Stalls built around clinical content, plus films.
Chemist and stockist marketing
Counter displays and chemist meets for OTC brands.
OTC pack design
Packs that carry only claims the law allows.
OTC ads and marketplaces
Google and social ads, plus Amazon and Flipkart listings.
Google AdsMetaAmazonFlipkartPlant and hiring films
Plant and quality films, and an employer brand.
Sales and MR reports
One weekly sheet of MR notes and secondary sales.
/ 03 Checklist
Brand basics checklist
Tick what you already have. The rest is where we can help.
The basics
11 items
- Logo and brand guidelinesOne set of logo files and a one-page guide to colours and fonts.
- Domain and business emailAn email on your own business domain, not a free mail address.
- A website that works on phonesFast, secure, with Call and WhatsApp buttons.
- Google Business ProfileCorrect name, hours, photos and category.
- WhatsApp BusinessCatalogue, quick replies and an away message.
- Social media handlesThe same name on each platform you use.
- Business cardsName, role, phone, email and website.
- Letterhead and invoiceYour legal name, address and tax details, with your logo.
- Company profile or brochureOne document you can send on WhatsApp.
- SignageMatches your logo and your Google listing.
- Photos and short videosReal work, real people, real premises.
For pharma companies
6 items
- Rx symbol and Schedule H warning on labelsDrugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, rule 97(1)(b).
- Sanction check before any Schedule H, H1 or X adLicence conditions in the 1945 Rules, such as rule 74(p).
- Prescriber material with generic name, dosage and dateUCPMP 2024, clause 3.2: generic name beside the brand, and a last-updated date.
- No doctor names or photos in promotional materialUCPMP 2024, clause 3.6.
- Cure-claim check on every OTC ad and packDrugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, sections 3 and 4.
- One approved library for MRsUCPMP 2024, 4.1 and 4.4: the company answers for its MRs.
/ 04 Order to start
Start with your field force,then widen.
| Step | What we do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Field force and doctors | Test rebuilt aids and e-detailing decks in a few territories, plus a doctor-only area on your website. | MRs tell you within weeks what doctors think. |
| 2. Conferences | Events work: stalls and films for CME (continuing medical education) events, delivered through PEXORA, a joint venture of PromotEdge and Prodigy. | Gifts are barred, so content leads. |
| 3. Chemists and OTC buyers | Counter displays and chemist meets, then search ads, marketplace listings and pack design. | The chemist decides. The law limits claims. |
| 4. The company | Plant and quality films and employer branding for hiring. | Hires and auditors watch them. |
Go deeperMore on this
Deeper reading if you want the research behind the plan.
Pharma marketing in depth
The market in 2026
A PIB backgrounder of 21 March 2026 values India's domestic pharma market at USD 60 billion, and expects USD 130 billion by 2030. Exports were USD 30.5 billion in 2024-25. India ranks third in the world by volume and 11th by value, so many brands compete for the same doctors and chemists.
Source: Press Information Bureau, Backgrounder: India's Pharmaceuticals in Global Healthcare, 21 Mar 2026, citing the Economic Survey 2025-26, read 10 Oct 2026 (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243248®=48⟨=2)
How buyers decide
Our view: a doctor gives a brand a second look when a colleague, a conference talk or an MR's visit brings data worth checking. A chemist stocks what customers ask for and what the stockist pushes. They drop out when claims look loose or the supply is patchy.
What you can do, and what is not ours
You can keep one approved claims sheet, name one owner for medical, legal and regulatory review, and give every MR the same library. Your own teams approve every claim, not us. We cannot get a prescription brand cleared for public ads, and we cannot promise prescriptions.
How we would deliver, and why each step
We start with your field force, because MRs reach doctors and tell us within weeks what works. Next comes the claims sheet, so every pack, listing and deck says the same thing. Then the OTC and chemist work, which the law lets us take public. We read secondary sales weekly, so we both see what moves.
Bodies to know
CDSCO: the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. Its site calls it the National Regulatory Authority of India.
IDMA: the Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association. Its site has a page to register UCPMP complaints.
OPPI: the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, set up in 1965. It mainly represents research-based global pharma companies in India.
Source: Official sites of each body, read 10 Oct 2026
Online pharmacy
A customer with a prescription wants proof that the medicine is genuine and a pharmacist has read it. A discount gives neither. Rule 65(9) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 lets a store sell Schedule H, H1 and X medicines only on a registered doctor's prescription. Google and Meta keep prescription medicines out of ads in India. So the ad sells your checks and your speed. Google also needs LegitScript, an outside certifier, to verify the store first. See our healthcare Google Ads page, WhatsApp marketing for OTC lines and local search.
Source: Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, rule 65(9)(a), CDSCO compilation as amended up to 31 December 2016. Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, India section, read 8 October 2026
Not sure whether to start with the field force or the chemists? Let's think it through together. Compare the two starts
/ 05 What usually gets in the way
What gets in the wayand the way through.
“Our MRs have carried the same visual aid for three years.”
Rebuild each aid around one message, as the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) asks. Explainer videos carry it on tablets.
“We want a well-known doctor's photo on our brochure.”
Our brochure design builds trust with data and references. UCPMP bars doctors' names and photos in promotional material.
“Gifts for doctors are gone. What do we offer at conferences?”
Build the stall around clinical content. UCPMP allows brand reminders, such as books or journals, up to Rs 1,000 an item.
“Our MRs make their own slides and forward them on WhatsApp.”
Keep one approved library that every MR opens.
Which of these is your brand's problem? Tell us, and we'll tell you where we'd start with your field force. Name your brand's problem
/ 06 Cost
What affects the cost of pharma marketing.
No price list. These things move the number.
We don't publish a price list. Most pharma work mixes a monthly retainer with one-off projects.
What affects the cost
- Brands and audiences. An OTC balm and a heart-care range differ.
- Review rounds. Medical, legal and regulatory (MLR) review adds time.
- Formats. Aids, decks, videos, plant shoots and stalls.
How we quote
- A 30-minute call with one of our strategists
- We review your material and write the scope
- A written quote within 2 working days
What you get in the quote
- Brands, audiences and formats covered
- Review rounds
- Tracking and reports
How it is billed
| Way of working | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | Field-force, doctor and OTC work. Minimum 3 months, 30 days' notice to stop |
| Per project | A launch, a stall or a film. We confirm the timeline in the quote |
/ 07 Rules that shape the marketing
What a pharma company can say, and to whom
We read each rule at its source on 4 October 2026. General guidance, not legal advice. Your medical, legal and regulatory teams decide.
Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Rule 97: Schedule H medicines carry the Rx symbol. Rule 74(p): Schedule H, H1 and X drugs need the Central Government's previous sanction before any ad. Rule 106: no cure claims for Schedule J conditions.
Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954. No ad may suggest a drug can cure or treat any of 54 listed conditions, such as cancer or diabetes. A label or film counts as an ad. A first conviction can mean six months in jail.
UCPMP 2024 (Department of Pharmaceuticals, 12 March 2024). Prescriber material shows the generic name beside the brand, dosage, side effects, warnings and last-updated date (3.2). "Safe" needs a qualifier (2.2).
Companies answer for their MRs, contract staff included (4.1, 4.4). No gifts or cash for anyone who can prescribe or supply drugs, even via distributors (8.1). Travel is only for CME speakers (8.2, 8.3), and there are no CME events abroad (6.2).
Google Ads. In India, Google lets certified pharmaceutical manufacturers promote OTC medicines, in line with local law, but not prescription ones.
/ 08 What happens next
What happensafter you ask.
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop.
Our beliefWhat can't be measured can't be achieved.
Brands and people are named only as public examples. They are not PromotEdge clients or endorsers unless stated.
Keep exploring
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Proof and reading
Tell us what’s not working. We’ll send you an honest one-page growth plan, free.
What people say
In their own words
What clients told us after working with PromotEdge.
“PromotEdge and their team did an excellent job with our website. They engaged with every team member, understanding their needs with great patience before collating them into a user requirement and a design spec. …”
Bimal ShahExecutive Director at Fine Organic Industries Limited“PromotEdge has been working with our organization for social media management and other creative activities. They are responsive, supportive and hard working. We look forward to a long and positive relationship with them.”
Medha SharmaStrategic Head at TATA Metaliks“PromotEdge has been a unique creative group amongst unique creativity world. …”
Rajat ChatterjeeHead Business Development at Birdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd.“An aligned partner is always a welcoming step. Someone who can think deep through lines, understand the matrix of product management. Fortunate enough, PromotEdge has been a partner in progress for me. …”
Bobby SrinivasChief Manager Marketing & Brand Marketing at Utkarsh India“We are thoroughly impressed with the extensive knowledge and professionalism demonstrated by PromotEdge. Their adept management of our digital and creative requirements has significantly contributed to our satisfaction with their digital marketing services and expertise.”
Rahul MishraAssistant Manager Digital Marketing & Ecommerce at Magik Lighting“We have been working with PromotEdge for almost a year. We have engaged them to manage our Digital marketing campaigns and are impressed with the outcome. …”
Shubham GadodiaDeputy Brand Manager at Shyam Metalics Group“I really want to thank Sayantan and his team from PromotEdge because what I find good in them is that, the team. When the team is wonderful, the outcome will definitely be wonderful. …”
Abhijit BhattacharyaFormer Captain Indian VolleyBall Team; and Founder of Brahmaputra Volleyball League“PromotEdge is one of the most hard working creative agency that LISTENS ! Do I need to say anything more ?!!!! …”
Harsh GuptaManaging Director at Rishta Foods“I would just like to congratulate, PromotEdge Led by Sayantan and his Team who have done an absolutely fantastic job of branding for the Kolkata Thunderbolts, the Branding, the social media campaign was bang on, and I think …”
Joy BhattacharjyaCEO at Prime Volleyball League“I am delighted with the successful launch of our new website, thanks to the exceptional support from PromotEdge. …”
Mom MitraMarketing Head at Ilead“I commend PromotEdge as a content and advertising partner. I applaud their top-notch team, swift problem-solving, and outstanding digital media work for my brand. I express my happiness and eagerness for a long-term partnership.”
Priyanka GuptaDirector at Nitya Gold & Diamonds“PRAN & PromotEdge have been working together for last 1.5 years. Throughout, the work experience is good and satisfactory. As a client, we found PromotEdge very professional and dedicated towards any project assigned to them. …”
Sharif Rezwan KabirBrand Manager at PRAN RFL Group“As a progressive and emerging digital marketing company, PromotEdge is doing something right to enhance the experience of companies associated with them. …”
Anish Basu MallikMarketing Executive at Unimark Group“Hi, my name is Hitesh Malhotra. I'm working in FIVB. We are working with PromoteEdge (with Team Sayantan). I would like to give you a brief detail. …”
Hitesh MalhotraSports Development at Fédération Internationale de Volleyball - FIVB“Working with PromotEdge has been an enriching experience for ABP at many different levels. Your understanding of the digital space, customized brand solutions and prompt servicing have helped us achieve our brand goals with so much ease. …”
Satabdi SahuLead - Brand and Content at ABP Education“The PromotEdge Agency stay with us all these 3 days, since when we arrived..more, more than 3 days. Since in the airport, they stayed together with us (FIVB team). …”
GibaBrazilian Former Volleyball Player“In the city of Kolkata , there are very few full service advertising agencies which are compact, agile, quick and yet have the vision and creative /executional abilities of large reputed agencies. …”
Hardeep SinghMarketing ConsultantIndependent view“It’s a great way to be back at PromotEdge. …”
Priyam GhoseContent Creator
Pharma brand with tired material, or rules you're unsure of?
Tell us what's not working.We'll show you what to fix first.
Straight answers.
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It helps doctors, chemists and buyers trust a medicine brand. A pharma marketing strategy picks which brands and doctors come first and how each audience is reached within the rules. It also says how to measure results, such as chemists who stock it.
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Not freely. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, Schedule H, H1 and X drugs need the Central Government's previous sanction before any ad. So Rx brands go to healthcare professionals, through the field force and doctor-only channels. OTC brands can advertise to the public within strict claim limits. General guidance, not legal advice.
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Rx brands get a doctor-only area, e-detailing decks and doctor email. OTC brands get search engine optimisation (SEO), social and marketplace work, such as Google ads and Amazon or Flipkart listings. Both sit on one approved claims sheet. See our digital marketing services.
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It is addressed to pharma companies, but clause 4.5 says third parties doing covered work should have a sound working knowledge of it. We check claims and dates against it first. Your company stays responsible for every piece. General guidance, not legal advice.
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Ask any agency, including us, four things. Can they explain UCPMP 2024 without notes? Will they talk to your MRs first? Do they plan review rounds with your medical, legal and regulatory teams? Do they report on sales, not only clicks?
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We don't publish a price list. Cost depends on brands, audiences, formats and review rounds. Media, printing and stall builds are billed at actuals. After a 30-minute strategist call, a written quote follows within 2 working days, and you approve it before work starts.