Should Homoeopaths be Allowed to Practise Allopathy & vice versa
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1995 Mar / Apr Vol IV No 2.
Zuber Mamji.
Is a person qualified in Homoeopathy or Ayurveda systems competent to prescribe Allopathic medicines? "No" says the Medical Council of India (MCI), quoting the Indian Medical Council Act. The Indian Medical Association of course has time and again come out very strongly against such practice, describing it as "quackery". But obviously, not all state governments agree with these views.
In a recent order, a member of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has drawn attention of the Union Ministry of Health and the Medical Council of India to this issue. Says Y Krishnan, member, National Commission, in his order: This case throws up an important and disturbing issue which I feel deserves to be taken note of. In this case, we find that the opposite party No 1, Ashwin Patel, is a Homoeopathic doctor but is practising Allopathic system of medicine.
The doctor has said that after obtaining his diploma in Homoeopathy, he got his registration from the Maharashtra government and worked as Chief Medical Officer in an Allopathic clinic in Bombay for seven years from 1983 to 1990, thus acquiring the required experience to prescribe Allopathic medicines.
But, asks Mr. Krishnan in his order: "Is the diploma in Homoeopathic medicine held by Dr. Patel equivalent to an MBBS degree? Is the content of training similar to that of allopathic system? Besides, can a Homoeopathic doctor prescribe allopathic medicines without studying pharmacology?"
Observes Mr. Krishnan further "according to Dr. Patel, as per the Medical Council rules of Gujarat, he is allowed to practise allopathy. To the question on whether it is a fact that the diploma in Homoeopathy does allow you to practise Allopathic Medicines, he stated that there was no such bar. We are not concerned with these matters in consumer jurisdiction but these matters raise questions of national importance and are of concern to every citizen. Whether a person who has not graduated in the Allopathic system of medicine but has a Diploma in Homoeopathic system of medicine, is he qualified to practise allopathy?"
According to the complaint filed before the Commission, (Poonam Verma vs Dr. Ashwin Patel and another) Dr. Patel attended on Mr. Verma when he developed fever and prescribed a course of antibiotics and paracetamol. When the fever did not come down, he prescribed another course of broad-spectrum antibiotics, as enteric fever was prevalent in the locality. Subsequently, when the patient did not recover, he was admitted to a nursing home where his condition worsened and he was suspected to be suffering from viral encephalitis. He was then moved to a larger hospital for a CAT scan, but he breathed his last at the hospital.
After hearing the case and seeking the opinion of independent experts, the National Commission came to the conclusion that there was no negligence or want of reasonable degree of care and skill on the part of Dr. Patel in the treatment given to Mr. Verma and that the charge of negligence was baseless. Even though Mr. Krishnan agreed with this view, he, however thought it pertinent to raise the question about a Homoeopathic doctor prescribing Allopathic medicines, in a separate order.
According to the Indian Medical Association, about two years ago when the Government of Maharashtra issued a notification authorizing the practitioners of Ayurveda to prescribe Allopathic medicines and injectibles, it brought to the notice of the state government relevant provisions in the Indian Medical Council Act that prohibited anyone who did not possess the prescribed medical qualification in modern medicine from practising Allopathy.
The Supreme Court had remarked "permitting a person who does not possess the recognized medical qualification in the Allopathic system of medicine would be in direct conflict with the provisions of the Central Act (Medical Council of India Act). We are therefore of the view that the first provision to Section 38 of the State Act in so far as it empowers the state government to permit a person to practice Allopathic system of medicine, is inconsistent with the provision of Sections 11 and 14 of the Central Act.:
These days, for certain ailments, allopathic doctors prescribe ayurvedic medicines. Similarly, qualified Ayurvedic or Homoeopathic or Unani doctors can prescribe occasionally, Allopathic medicines. But that should not become the practice, they say.
Lets be clear about one thing. There is nothing wrong with Homoeopathy. In fact, these days more and more people are preferring Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathic systems of medicine as they are effective, safe and without side effects. Each system is important and requires special education and skill. But a doctor qualified to practise homoeopathy cannot truly and effectively practise any other system, just as an Allopathic doctor cannot practise Homoeopathy or ayurveda. And a consumer court will have to take cognizance of this factor while deciding cases of medical negligence.
PUSHPA GIRIMAJI
(The Times of India, 4th February 1995)
A Doctor Replies: Every medical practitioner is a physician first, then a Homoeopath or an Allopath or an Ayurved. He must know which system of medicine can give better results and relief in each case.
For example. A Homoeopathic medicine can permanently cure a case of asthma. However in status asthmaticus, the same patient may have to be given an Allopathic broncho dilator for immediate relief. Similarly in Myocardial Infarction
Streptokinase and Sorbitrate may have to be given in order to save the life of the patient. The attending physician should judiciously decide as to what is in the best interest of the patient. After all it is a matter of life and death.
During the time of Hahnemann, the Allopathic school of medicine was not as advanced as today. Leeching, bloodletting and various other modes of therapy were employed and so Hahnemann has denounced them strongly in his books. However, none of these methods are prevalent today.
All Homoeopathic institution should teach the other methods of therapy and its toxicology because all the systems finally lead to on goal cure. The Homoeopath can also help by way of research with the help of new medicines.
