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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Maharashtra rolls back order allowing homeopaths to practise allopathy, forms review panel
The Maharashtra government has reversed its contentious decision to allow homeopathic practitioners to prescribe modern medicine, opting instead to set up a seven-member expert committee to review the matter within two months. The move follows growing concern from the medical community over the implications for patient safety and legal validity. The committee comprises officials from the medical education department, AYUSH directorates, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences , and registrars from both the modern medicine and homeopathy councils. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live by the Beach at Sunteck's 2/3BHK Homes starts @₹98L+ Sunteck Realty Learn More Undo However, the decision to review — rather than scrap — the order has failed to appease either side. Neither the Indian Medical Association (IMA) nor homeopath groups have committed to accepting the panel's recommendation if it goes against their respective positions. 'While the committee can study the subject matter, their decision will not be accepted if it is against public interest. The court's decision will be final for us. We have faith in the judiciary,' said IMA (Maharashtra) president Santosh Kadam. Live Events Kadam pointed to the pending legal challenge against the 2014 amendments to the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Practitioners Act and the Maharashtra Medical Council Act of 1965, which lie at the heart of the current dispute. The backlash was triggered by a recent order that would have permitted homeopaths to practise allopathy after completing a one-year pharmacology course. Over the past ten days, doctors and medical associations across the state raised alarms, warning that such a move could endanger public health. Homeopathy representatives also criticised the new panel, questioning its neutrality. 'There is no faith in the committee set up as no homeopath is on it; they have put a clerk instead,' said Bahubali Shah, administrator of the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Council. With both camps rejecting the authority of the committee, the final word on the issue may ultimately rest with the Bombay High Court, where the legal battle over cross-system practice continues.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Maharashtra reverses order allowing homeopaths to practise allopathy
Representative image MUMBAI: The state government took a step back on its decision to allow homeopaths to prescribe modern medicine by setting up a 7-member committee that will decide on the matter within two months. Interestingly, neither the homeopaths nor doctors with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have said they will accept the committee's decision if it is not in their favour. The committee includes officials from the medical education department, AYUSH directorates, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, and registrars from both the modern medicine and homeopathy councils. IMA (Maharashtra) head, Santosh Kadam, said the case challenges the root cause of the problem - the 2014 amendment to the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Practitioners Act and the Maharashtra Medical Council Act of 1965, which are still pending before Bombay HC. "While the committee can study the subject matter, their decision will not be accepted if it is against public interest. The court's decision will be final for us. We have faith in the judiciary," he said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Maharashtra Homeopathic Council administrator, Bahubali Shah, said, "There is no faith in the committee set up as no homeopath is on it; they have put a clerk instead." For the past 10 days, the medical community was anxious over allowing homeopaths to practice modern medicine based on a one-year pharmacology course, as it could pose serious risks to public health.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Maharashtra suspends registration of homeopathy practitioners with bridge course
The state government on Friday set up a committee to look into concerns flagged by doctors over a notification that allows homeopathy practitioners to get registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) once they complete the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP). After the state assured it will suspend the registration process and a government circular was issued to that effect, doctors with the Indian Medical Association withdrew their plan for a stir. Dr Santosh Kadam, president, IMA, Maharashtra told The Indian Express that their contention was that if homoepathy practitioners are registered with the MMC after they complete the bridge course (CCMP), it would allow them to practice modern medicine. Several organisations had protested against the government notification dated June 30, 2025 which had allowed homoepathy practitioners who had completed the bridge course to register with the MMC from July 15. Apart from the IMA, the Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctors' Association and other medical groups had questioned the government's decision and supported the IMA's move for a token strike. The IMA had also filed a writ in the Bombay High Court in February this year regarding the potential registration of homeopathic doctors with the MMC. Doctors had also protested the notificiation as they questioned whether a bridge course in modern pharmacology would equip homeopathy practitioners to prescribe allopathic drugs safely. Dr Kadam along with former MMC chairman Dr Shivkumar Uttare and other doctors met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late on Thursday evening, following which a meeting was held Friday morning. The CM had instructed Principal Secretary of Medical Education, Goverment of maharashtra, Dheeraj Kumar and MMC administrator Dr Vinky Rughwani to discuss the issue, following which a committee was set up that is chaired by the Commissioner of Medical Education and includes the registrar of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Maharashtra Homeopathy Council, Maharashtra Medical Council and others. Dr Rughwani told The Indian Express that the committee was instructed to submit a report within two months on the issue. 'Till such time that they submit the report, the government has agreed to withdraw the notification,' Dr Rughwani added. According to the MMC circular, the registration of homeopathy practitoners holding the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology is now suspended. When contacted, Dr R S Indulkar, advisor to Maharashtra Homeopathy Council, told The Indian Express, that there was a certain logic as to why the bridge course was introduced. 'There is a need for doctors in remote corners of the state. There is a paucity as most of the modern medicine doctors prefer to work in urban setups. By undergoing this CCMP course, the homeopathy practitioner upgrades his/her skill and is able to prescribe allopathic medicines. Moroever, even in urban areas, a majority of hospitals have employed homeopathy doctors. Then why this dichotomy?' She asked. Dr Bahubali Shah, administrator at Maharashtra Homeopathy Council ,has decided to go ahead with his hunger strike as a mark of protest. Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
News18
6 days ago
- Health
- News18
Homeopathic Doctors Can Now Prescribe Allopathic Medicines In Maharashtra. But On One Condition
The Maharashtra Medical Council allows homeopathic doctors to prescribe allopathic medicines after a six-month course but the Indian Medical Association opposes this In a move that has reignited a decade-long controversy, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has allowed homeopathic doctors to prescribe allopathic medicines, provided they have completed a six-month certification course in modern pharmacology. The decision, announced through a fresh MMC circular, is being hailed as 'legally valid" by supporters but is likely to face fresh opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has long opposed what it calls 'cross-pathy". According to a report by The Times of India, homeopathic practitioners in Maharashtra who possess a 'Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology" (CCMP) will be permitted to prescribe certain modern medicines, although the final list of approved drugs and permissible ailments remains under review. Registrations for eligible practitioners will begin on July 15. 'As per a Government of Maharashtra notification dated June 25, 2014, MMC directs all CCMP qualified doctors to register under MMC, for which MMC is launching a portal on its website for the registration of CCMP qualified doctors with specific instructions from July 15, 2025," TOI quoted the MMC's statement. 'We have received approval from the state government and the law department. The matter is also sub judice. Until then, we are carefully evaluating which medicines these doctors can be allowed to prescribe," said Dr Vinky Rughwani, administrator at MMC. Court Battle Since 2014 The roots of the debate trace back to 2014, when the Maharashtra government amended the Maharashtra Homeopathy Practitioners Act and the Maharashtra Medical Council Act of 1965. The amendment paved the way for homeopathic doctors to practice allopathy on the condition that they complete additional training. However, the IMA swiftly challenged the amendments in the Bombay High Court, which led to a ban on homeopaths prescribing allopathic drugs. Since then, legal and regulatory back-and-forths have kept the issue alive, with the state seemingly attempting to sidestep the ban in recent months. In December 2024, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a directive to chemists and medicine wholesalers, instructing them to sell allopathic medicines to homeopathic doctors who had completed the CCMP. Critics argued that the FDA had no jurisdiction to decide who qualifies as a medical practitioner. IMA Raises Red Flag IMA Maharashtra President Dr Santosh Kadam criticised the move, saying that the FDA is a drug regulator, not a medical licensing body. He claimed that the state government held consultations only with the Homeopathy Council, Homeopathy associations, and private colleges but did not invite the IMA for its input. 'Only the MMC can decide who is eligible to practice modern medicine," he said, adding that prior to the recent MMC circular, the directive lacked legal strength. 'Modern medicine is very complex and interrelated. My question is just by doing a course in pharmacology, how can a homoeopath be on par with an MBBS doctor. I think political pressure and a bid to raise fees in Homoeopathy colleges prompted this decision," TOI quoted Kadam as saying. The decision reportedly came after a closed-door meeting involving Maharashtra's Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif, BJP MLA Randhir Savarkar, representatives from the MMC, and associations of homeopathic doctors. Sources indicate the MMC was instructed to finally implement the 2014 amendment, nearly a decade after it was passed. While supporters argue the move addresses a shortage of licensed doctors in rural areas, critics warn that it opens the door to unqualified practice and risks public health. First Published: July 08, 2025, 18:13 IST
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Maharashtra allows homeopaths to practice allopathy after completing a 6-month course
Maharashtra Medical Council's decision to allow homeopaths to prescribe allopathic medicines after a six-month course sparks controversy. Critics, including the IMA, raise concerns about patient safety and compromised medical standards. The move, stemming from a 2014 amendment, faces opposition due to potential risks from unqualified practitioners administering allopathic treatments. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads IMA calls move a threat to medical standards Political will at play? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Over a decade after an amendment paved the way, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has formally allowed homeopathic practitioners to prescribe modern allopathic medicines — provided they complete a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).The move, critics say, could have serious consequences for public controversial decision, which officially comes into effect on July 15, stems from amendments made as far back as 2014 to the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Practitioners Act and the Maharashtra Medical Council Act of changes had enabled homeopaths to prescribe allopathic drugs 'under certain conditions', but legal and regulatory hurdles stalled the MMC — currently functioning without an elected medical body since 2022 — has issued a notification permitting registration of homeopaths who complete the CCMP registered, they will legally be allowed to prescribe allopathic medication, although the exact scope of their prescribing rights remains under review.'We received directions from the govt and a clearance from the law and judiciary department regarding the case pending before the court. We will begin registering them starting July 15. Till then, we will be studying what kinds of medicines they will be allowed to prescribe,' said MMC administrator Dr Vinky Rughwani, as quoted by Indian Medical Association (IMA), which had challenged the 2014 amendments, said this fresh notification has given legal force to what was previously a 'toothless' Bombay High Court had issued a stay on the earlier move, but since late 2024, efforts had been underway to bypass the court's December 2024, the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directed chemists to supply allopathic medicines to homeopaths who had completed the CCMP — an instruction the IMA objected to, citing jurisdictional overreach.'FDA is a drug regulator but it does not have the authority to recognise who can practice medicine. That authority lies only with the MMC,' Dr Santosh Kadam, President, IMA Maharashtra, to Dr Kadam, the MMC's new circular now gives 'legal weight' to the earlier FDA direction, raising concerns that unqualified practitioners may begin administering allopathic treatments after only a short training also alleged political pressure behind the move.'Both FDA and MMC were pressured to pass such order. Many homeopathic colleges are either owned by or indirectly affiliated with politicians in the state,' Dr Santosh Kadam told MMC's decision followed a February 2025 meeting between state medical education minister Hasan Mushrif, BJP MLA Randhir Sawarkar, MMC representatives, and homeopathy associations, where it was agreed that the 2014 amendment would finally be implemented.
