Maharashtra Allows BHMS Doctors to Practise Modern Medicine, Doctors Raise Safety Concerns

Maharashtra’s decision to allow BHMS graduates with a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) to practise modern medicine has sparked strong opposition from sections of the medical community. The policy, notified on August 3, permits homoeopathy graduates who have completed the one-year bridge course to prescribe allopathic medicines. Critics argue that while BHMS practitioners are trained in homoeopathy, the certificate course cannot match the extensive clinical exposure, diagnostic training and patient-management skills acquired during the five-and-a-half-year MBBS programme. They contend that diagnosing complex conditions and handling medical emergencies requires years of structured medical education, making patient safety a key concern in the cross-practice debate.

Opponents of the move also question why practitioners trained in one system of medicine should be allowed to prescribe medicines from another. They argue that if the objective is to address doctor shortages, the government should instead expand MBBS seats and streamline opportunities for Foreign Medical Graduates who have already trained in modern medicine. The issue has a long legal history, with the CCMP provision dating back to 2014 and facing repeated court challenges. While doctors have withdrawn their strike following court directions, the legal and professional debate over cross-practice continues, according to The Quint report.