Calling AYUSH doctors "Quacks" would Violate Law: NCISM

Taking note of the fact that BAMS doctors are taunted to be Quacks in public notices, electronic print and social media etc., the Commission has reminded the fact that AYUSH doctors who are registered under the IMCC and NCISM Act, are legal medical practitioners as per the law.

"It is to inform you that a person who is duly registered under the State Councils/Boards (Indian System of Medicine) under the Second Schedule of the IMCC Act, 1970, NCISM Act, 2020 and Maharashtra Practitioners Act, 1961 Amended in 2014 are legally registered medical practitioners as per law," read the letter issued by Prof. (Vaidya). Rakesh Sharma, President of Board of Ethics and Registration, NCISM.

Clarifying that calling registered BAMS doctors as quacks would be unlawful, the letter dated 17.02.2022 further mentioned, "So, there is no question to call them quacks or bogus doctors in public notices, electronics, print or social media, websites, Government documents including F.I.R., notices, Press releases and briefings; it will be violation of provisions described in above laws and would violations of constitutional rights of the registered medical practitioners of Indian System of Medicine."

Also Read:Doctors Vs Ramdev: A battle of pathies or Fight for Coronil?

"The definition of a quack is someone who is not a registered medical practitioner. But there is a lobby that calls registered ISM practitioners quacks and bogus. It is not punishable, but this is just to clarify that those who are registered are abiding by the law. If a case is filed against them, this letter will protect them in a court of law," Prof Rakesh Sharma told The Print.

While commenting on the matter, Dr. J. A Jayalal, the former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) told Medical Dialogues, "No one has a right to call a registered medical practitioner as a "quack" or "bogus doctor" as long as they are practicing in their own filed of medicine. It is only when they transgress their field, it becomes a matter of concern."

Similar opinions have been expressed by the National President of IMA, Dr. Sahajanand Prasad Singh. Agreeing that registered medical practitioners should not be called "quacks", he told The Print, "The IMA opposes mixology, in which Ayurveda doctors can conduct surgeries. AYUSH doctors should not go beyond their knowledge and start mixing practices. The government has been receptive to our concerns and will be setting up a committee to investigate mixology. We are ready to co-operate with the committee and its findings."

The letter from the Commission comes at a time when AYUSH practitioners have found to be complaining of being taunted as "quacks". The Print adds that the convenor of the Vaidyakiya Vikas Manch in Maharashtra had written to NCISM regarding the matter. He had pointed out that "genuine" ISM practitioners were being "harassed" and raided as they had been called "bogus doctors".

The battle between Ayurveda vs Allopathy has been going on for quite some time. Previously, the debate concerning Ayurveda Vs Allopathy had gained momentum over the Yoga Guru Ramdev's alleged remarks on the efficacy of allopathy in the treatment of COVID-19. This ultimately led to a battle between these two branches of medicines and Medical Dialogues had earlier reported how during the course of this battle, several ugly and defamatory remarks were made, which resulted in a series of FIRs being filed against the "yoga guru" and case proceedings eventually began.

In fact, recently, a Kerala based doctor had landed in trouble with the Kerala State Medical Council for Indian Systems of Medicine after he gave a controversial interview where he allegedly claimed that the use of certain herbs such as Giloy (chittamruthu) can be harmful to the liver. The doctor also allegedly called the traditional branch of medicine called Ayurveda, a 'pseudoscience'.

Sharing the recent letter by NCISM, the Kerala Based doctor wrote on his Twitter handle, "Henceforth taunting/harassing Ayush practitioner(Ayurveda,Unani, Siddha,Naturopathy,Homeopathy) as "Quack"/"Bogus Doc" in print or social media will b (punishable) offence! But Ayush practitioners can stil bad mouth 'scientific docs' as big pharma, drug mafia.. etc"