IMA opposes move to widen allopathic drug prescription
Express news service, Dated: Jul 15, 2012
Mumbai A day after the state government announced that homoeopathic, unani and ayurvedic doctors will be allowed to prescribe allopathic medicines, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to move court against the decision.
The announcement was made in the Assembly on Friday by Medical Education Minister Vijay Kumar Gavit who said the Medical Practioner’s Act of 1961 will be amended to allow homoepathy, unani and ayurvedic doctors to prescribe allopathic drugs, provided they complete a one-year course in pharmacology conducted by the state government. IMA members called the move a ‘mockery of medicine’ and are in the process of moving the HC.“We are shocked. Medical education is not a state subject to begin with, and a one-year course in pharmacology cannot by any standards be equated with the four odd years of training MBBS students undergo,” said Dr Jayesh Lele, IMA state secretary. The Bombay HC had in 1996 stated that doctors registered with the Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy will practise only homoeopathy and not any other stream of medicine. The judgment had come after a Mumbai resident died after being administered allopathic drugs by a homoepathic doctor. “This step of the state government shows it is bypassing not only the Medical Council of India, but also the decision of the court. If the government is serious about providing better healthcare, it would have focused on improving amenities in rural areas and giving better working conditions to doctors. This ‘crosspathy’ will only serve to provide a platform for quacks,” Lele said.
Gavit, however, defended his stand saying the decision was made in the larger interest of people.“In the absence of allopathy doctors in rural areas, other doctors should be allowed to prescribe medicines in emergency cases. Also, the one-year pharmacology course will ensure only those who have sufficient knowledge in allopathy are given the certificate to prescribe the medicines,” Gavit said.
“In rural areas, where allopathy doctors are not easily available, homoepathy doctors prescribe allopathic medicines as well. Now they will be able to do this without being harassed for legal issues. We want the government to improve the scenario of homoepathic care in the state,” said Dr Bahubali Shah, president of the Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy.
Express news service, Dated: Jul 15, 2012
Mumbai A day after the state government announced that homoeopathic, unani and ayurvedic doctors will be allowed to prescribe allopathic medicines, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to move court against the decision.
The announcement was made in the Assembly on Friday by Medical Education Minister Vijay Kumar Gavit who said the Medical Practioner’s Act of 1961 will be amended to allow homoepathy, unani and ayurvedic doctors to prescribe allopathic drugs, provided they complete a one-year course in pharmacology conducted by the state government. IMA members called the move a ‘mockery of medicine’ and are in the process of moving the HC.“We are shocked. Medical education is not a state subject to begin with, and a one-year course in pharmacology cannot by any standards be equated with the four odd years of training MBBS students undergo,” said Dr Jayesh Lele, IMA state secretary. The Bombay HC had in 1996 stated that doctors registered with the Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy will practise only homoeopathy and not any other stream of medicine. The judgment had come after a Mumbai resident died after being administered allopathic drugs by a homoepathic doctor. “This step of the state government shows it is bypassing not only the Medical Council of India, but also the decision of the court. If the government is serious about providing better healthcare, it would have focused on improving amenities in rural areas and giving better working conditions to doctors. This ‘crosspathy’ will only serve to provide a platform for quacks,” Lele said.
Gavit, however, defended his stand saying the decision was made in the larger interest of people.“In the absence of allopathy doctors in rural areas, other doctors should be allowed to prescribe medicines in emergency cases. Also, the one-year pharmacology course will ensure only those who have sufficient knowledge in allopathy are given the certificate to prescribe the medicines,” Gavit said.
“In rural areas, where allopathy doctors are not easily available, homoepathy doctors prescribe allopathic medicines as well. Now they will be able to do this without being harassed for legal issues. We want the government to improve the scenario of homoepathic care in the state,” said Dr Bahubali Shah, president of the Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy.
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