Kerala: BUMS, BSMS, BHMS doctors booked for prescribing allopathy medicines

Chennai: In a crackdown against quackery in Tamil Nadu, three AYUSH practitioners have been booked for allegedly prescribing allopathic medicines to patients for the past week without any degree or knowledge of allopathy.

The three accused doctors have been identified as a Siddha doctor, a homoeopathy doctor and a Unani doctor. On Thursday, Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed that the trio was booked by the Directorate of Medical Services.

These practitioners were engaged in what is commonly referred to as "quackery," which involves providing treatments or medications that they are not qualified to administer.

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According to a TOI news report, the Siddha practitioner was prescribing allopathic medicines and administering injections to patients at a clinic in Kotturpuram, whereas the homoeopathy doctor was practising allopathy at a clinic in Mandaveli and the Unani doctor who was practising allopathy at a clinic in Saidapet.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian acted upon a tip-off from a concerned parent who reported the Unani doctor for practising without the necessary qualifications. This initial complaint led to an investigation, ultimately resulting in the discovery of two other doctors, including a Siddha practitioner and a homoeopathy doctor, who were also engaged in practices outside their qualifications.

Inaugurating a slew of activities at the Government Ayurveda Medical College for World Ayurveda Day, Subhramanian said "A parent complained to me about the Nalam Clinic in Saidapet. Health officials who inspected the spot found a Unani doctor prescribing allopathic medicines for fever."

During the event, he told the daily "AYUSH doctors not to prescribe medications from other streams. Many patients want exclusive AYUSH medications. We train doctors in each of these streams in UG and PG. The health department has also written to the state dental council asking them to initiate action against a dentist who allowed unani practitioner to practice at the Nalam Hospital."

Medical Dialogues team had last year reported an incident where an Ayurveda doctor prescribed allopathic medicines leading to medical negligence following which the Supreme Court awarded Rs four lakh as compensation to the victim

The complaint alleged medical negligence for wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment, which led to rashes on the body of the complainant girl. It was alleged that the doctor, who treated her was an Ayurveda doctor and was not competent to prescribe allopathic medicines.

Also read- Ayurveda Doctor Prescribed Allopathy Medicines: SC Sets Aside NCDRC Order Of Rs 10 Lakh Compensation, Awards Rs 4 Lakh Instead