Cracking down on quacks operating in the country, the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India has issued a circular to the Health Secretaries of all State governments and Superintendents of Police of the districts among others to list medical practitioners covered by the Council.
“Allopathy, Indian system of medicine, homoeopathy and biochemic system of treatment is recognised by law in our country. Apart from these systems of medicine [also excluding animal husbandry, surgery and dental services], there is no system of medicine recognised in the country. Electrohomoeopathy, alternative system of medicine, integrated system of medicine and Indo-allopathy which are being practised as systems of medicine in our country are not recognised by law,” noted the circular.
The Council noted: “There are a few subjects of modern medicine that are incorporated in the course of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha for comparison only in our country. This then does not allow Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha practitioners to adorn a fake name like ‘integrated medicine' practitioners and prescribe allopathic medicines. Those indulging in this kind of business are playing with public health at large and deceiving the patients. The Council does not recognise any system of medicine called ‘integrated medicine.'
It said even the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had not recognised any “integrated system” of medicine and that there was no proposal to introduce or to develop any such system.
The circular said integrated medicine had no legal right. “A virtual system of medicine called integrated medicine does not fall under any recognised system of medicine in India; otherwise registered, qualified doctors are called Ayush doctors,” the circular said.
“The Council has also noted that a few Ayurvedic/Unani doctors have taken a fake term ‘integrated medicine' to disguise their original identity and to continue to illegally practise allopathy under this term.
