Health Bulletin 08/June/2026

NEET SS Counselling Delay Triggers Growing Anger Among Doctors, Aspirants Demand Round 2

The indefinite suspension of NEET SS 2025 counselling has sparked protests among doctors and aspirants, who are demanding that Round 2 counselling begin without further delay. The counselling process was put on hold after the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) issued a notice on June 6 citing an ongoing legal dispute over 151 vacant super-speciality seats in Tamil Nadu. The delay has left thousands of candidates frustrated, especially those who have already qualified the exam and paid counselling fees of ₹2 lakh but remain uncertain about the next steps.

The controversy stems from a Supreme Court direction asking the Tamil Nadu government to surrender 151 vacant DM and MCh seats for inclusion in the All India counselling process, according to India Today.

However, MCC later received information that the state had filed a review petition before the apex court on June 4, prompting the committee to seek legal clarification before proceeding. Many aspirants argue that the review petition should not stall the entire counselling process and have urged MCC to continue Round 2 while deciding the disputed seats separately. Despite these demands, MCC has not announced any fresh counselling schedule, leaving the admission process in limbo.

30 Doctors Found Guilty in Pharma Freebies Case; No Action Yet

An RTI response has revealed that 30 doctors found guilty of accepting a ₹2-crore foreign trip to Paris and Monaco sponsored by pharmaceutical company AbbVie belong to at least nine states. However, disciplinary action remains pending in several cases, with six State Medical Councils yet to submit action-taken reports to the National Medical Commission (NMC) despite receiving the doctors' names in December 2025. The Department of Pharmaceuticals reportedly forwarded only 27 of the 30 names to NMC, without explaining why three names were excluded. The doctors were from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi, Assam and Kerala.

The NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board recently issued reminders to the councils of Assam, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and West Bengal, asking them to expedite inquiries and submit reports. RTI applicant Dr. Babu KV alleged that while AbbVie was identified as the company that funded the foreign trips, authorities have not disclosed the names of the doctors involved, reports TOI.

The controversy stems from a 2024 complaint, following which a departmental audit reportedly found that the company had violated the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices. Under NMC rules, if a complaint remains unresolved by a state council for more than six months, the commission can refer the matter to its own ethics committee for further action.

Pre-Printed Consent Form Ruled Inadequate, Eye Surgeon Ordered to Pay Rs 7 Lakh Compensation

Holding an ophthalmic surgeon liable for deficiency in service for the failure in obtaining valid informed consent before performing cataract surgery, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed him to pay Rs 7 lakh compensation and Rs 50,000 litigation expenses to a patient, who lost vision in her operated eye after the surgery.

Even though the Commission held that the complainant failed to discharge the burden of proof regarding the allegations of medical negligence during the procedure, it noted a deficiency in service on the surgeon's part in obtaining informed consent.

For more details, check out the full story on the link mentioned below:

Bare signature on pre-printed form without risk disclosure not valid informed consent: Consumer court slaps Rs 7 lakh compensation on eye surgeon