Doctors Demand Withdrawal of Maharashtra Medical Council Notification allowing CCMP-Trained Homeopaths to Practice Allopathy
Doctors
Mumbai: Strongly opposing the Maharashtra Medical Council's decision to allow CCMP-trained homeopathic practitioners to practice modern allopathic medicine and register with the council, senior resident doctors in Maharashtra have urged the council to immediately withdraw the notification. They asserted that such a move is "medically indefensible, ethically unacceptable, and legally questionable."
In a letter submitted to the MMC Administrator, the Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctors Association (MSRDA) called the decision "unprecedented" and stated that its implementation would severely dilute the scientific integrity of modern medicine. They argued that the move is an affront to thousands of allopathic doctors who have dedicated over a decade of their lives to intense, evidence-based medical training, from MBBS to post-graduation and beyond.
Allowing practitioners trained in a fundamentally different medical system to transition into modern medicine through such a shortcut is, according to the association, reckless and dangerously irresponsible. Therefore, they demanded the urgent revocation of the decision to prevent irreversible damage to Maharashtra's medical ecosystem and to protect the safety of millions of citizens.
Medical Dialogues recently reported that homeopathy practitioners will now be able to practice allopathy in Maharashtra after completing a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP). Controversy erupted immediately after the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) issued a notification in this regard, officially permitting homoeopathic doctors to practice allopathic (modern) medicine, only after completing a bridge course-Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
This means that homeopathic doctors can now prescribe allopathic medicines, and the CCMP course certificate will be considered a valid qualification for homoeopathic doctors to register themselves as 'Registered Medical Practitioner' (RMP) in the State Medical Register under the Maharashtra Medical Council.
Under the new guidelines, homeopathic doctors who have completed the CCMP course can now register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) and practice modern medicine. The state government has given permission to the medical council to issue registration certificates to the eligible homeopathic doctors with CCMP certificate. The MMC will launch an online registration facility starting July 15, 2025, for eligible doctors.
However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also opposed the move, warning that it threatens medical standards and could pose serious health risks to the public. Moreover, the association wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, highlighting the potential dangers of the decision.
Echoing these same concerns, the MSRDA have ultimately raised their voice against the matter and questioned the council’s rationale behind the unprecedented move. In their letter, they asked, "Can one year of superficial pharmacology and clinical exposure truly equip a homeopath to be a safe and competent prescriber of allopathic drugs?"
Modern medicine is not just about memorising drug names — it is about a comprehensive understanding of pathophysiology, pharmacodynamics, clinical diagnosis, investigative interpretation, and individualised patient care. Overdose, drug interactions, wrong prescriptions — even minor errors — can result in irreversible harm or death, said the association.
"This decision undermines years of rigorous academic and clinical training that MBBS doctors and specialists undergo. It sets a dangerous precedent — that qualifications and merit can be bypassed for convenience. Even more concerning, this move could worsen the already serious problem of medical quackery in Maharashtra. We are already facing a crisis of unregulated and unchecked medical practice. Instead of strengthening regulations and ensuring accountability, this decision encourages shortcuts, circumvents checks and balances, and opens the door for further erosion of quality and safety in healthcare delivery," the letter reads.
Demanding the immediate withdrawal of the notification, the association said, "Allowing homeopaths to practice modern medicine after a one-year bridge course is medically indefensible, ethically unacceptable, and legally questionable. If this decision is not revoked, it will result in irreversible damage to the medical ecosystem in Maharashtra and compromise the safety of millions of citizens. We urge the MMC to reconsider this regressive move and uphold the sanctity, standards, and science of modern medicine."
Commenting on this, Dr. Abhijit Rajesh Helge, President of MSRDA, told Medical Dialogues, "We—all the doctors of Maharashtra—oppose the MMC’s decision. If the council fails to meet our demands, we will have no choice but to escalate the matter. Currently, we are in discussions with other associations across the state. Hopefully, a resolution will emerge soon. For now, we will see how the MMC responds."
