Include LGBTQIA+ Persons as Speakers in CME Programmes: Madras HC Directs DME

Chennai: Highlighting the importance of creating awareness about the issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community among medical students, the Madras High Court has directed the Director of Medical Education (DME) to hold the Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes in all government and private medical colleges by including speakers from the community as speakers.

"The DME is directed to create awareness by holding events on the medical curriculum issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in all govt and private medical colleges. They must also include speakers belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community," ordered the HC bench comprising Justice N Anand Venkatesh.

These directions were issued by the High Court while considering a plea seeking a direction to hold CME programmes by including LGBTQIA+ speakers to ensure inclusive medical care. Apart from this, the plea also sought the involvement of LGBTQIA+ community to dispel the myths surrounding homosexuality and transgender identities.

The plea was filed before the HC bench after a professor of the Madurai Government Medical College created a disturbance at a CME event when a speaker belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community was addressing the students.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the awareness programme 'Unlocking Understanding an update on LGBTQIA+', which was organised on September 28 by the 1984 alumni of MMC at the new academic block at MMC for the medical graduates in the city. However, MMC had decided to halt the CME programme on the LGBTQIA+ midway and allegedly asked transgenders to move out of the premises. This resulted in a massive controversy even though the college tried to justify its decision by pointing out that the programme was stopped because social activists, who do not have proper medical knowledge, were going to talk about two topics.

Also Read: Madurai Medical College Halts LGBTQIA Event Midway, Sparks Controversy

While considering the matter, the HC bench noted that these community members shall be involved in the CME programmes as they have "lived experiences" besides being trained, as these issues are not adequately or accurately covered in the medical curriculum at present, The New Indian Express has reported.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the HC bench has also directed the NMC to incorporate information about the conversion therapy within curriculum for medical education. It observed that the students must be informed that such therapies were totally barred and practising such therapy would result in serious consequences.

"This will raise more awareness among the students," the bench observed. The court issued this direction after the counsel for NMC submitted that a notification to declare conversion therapy as professional misconduct was incorporated in the 2023 regulations and that it was pending with the Central Government.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who has issued multiple directives supporting LGBTQIA+ rights, on February 3, 2025 severely condemned the National Medical Commission (NMC) for its continued use of the term 'Gender Identity Disorder' in its proposed medical curriculum.

The bench had observed that such terminology undermines efforts to foster inclusivity. He further emphasized that LGBTQIA+ individuals are natural and that their sexual orientation and gender identities are not “disorders.”

On June 7, 2021, the court issued a landmark judgment addressing systemic issues by condemning the classification of LGBTQIA+ identities as a "disorder" in medical education and directing the National Medical Commission to revise its curriculum.

Back then, it had also declared conversion therapy as professional misconduct and called for strict action against those practicing it. The court further instructed educational institutions and government bodies to implement awareness programs to foster inclusivity.

Also Read: Madras HC slams NMC for terming Gender Identity a 'Disorder' in CBME curriculum