---

New Delhi, December 30:- According to a Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha, doctors pursuing Indian systems of medicine, including ayurveda, and homoeopathy may be allowed to practice allopathy after clearing a bridge course.

The apex medical education regulator, the Medical Council of India will be replaced by the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017.

Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year “to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian systems of medicine and modern systems of medicine”. The Bill also proposes that specific educational modules/programmes for developing bridges across the various systems of medicine and promotion of medical pluralism can be done with the approval of the members present at the joint sitting.

It provides for the constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and rating of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission.

The commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary. A 25-member commission will replace the elected MCI, the Bill says.

The proposed measure has been strongly opposed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) which claims it will “cripple” the medical profession by making it completely answerable to bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. “Regulators need to have an autonomy… The National Medical Commission will be a regulator appointed by the administrators under their direct control,” IMA president KK Aggarwal said. — PTI

---

Related Articles

An international conference for AYUSH lovers

Ayush Minister, Naik gives away Ayush Awards to health sector entities

Another Meet for Ayurveda Experts

3rd edition of Global Ayurveda Festival

Kerala Ayurveda Promotion Club

Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation to start unani, Ayurveda clinics in hospitals