Mumbai News: Cooper MARD Condemns MMC For Allowing Homeopaths To Register As Allopathic Doctors

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) at Cooper Hospital has strongly condemned the recent notification issued by the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), which allows homeopathic practitioners who have completed a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) to register under the MMC as modern medicine practitioners.

Citing notification dated June 30, 2025, Cooper MARD expressed "shock and unrest" within the allopathic medical community.

In a statement, the association said, “This unprecedented and hazardous decision undermines the credibility of the MMC and threatens public health.” MARD asserted that the MMC, as a statutory body, is meant solely to regulate allopathic (MBBS and above) practitioners and not to validate short-term courses as a substitute for full-fledged medical training.

The association stressed that homeopathy is governed by a separate council with an entirely different philosophy and curriculum, and warned that permitting such lateral entry “threatens the integrity, standards, and trust in the allopathic profession.”

MARD has demanded immediate withdrawal of the notification and reaffirmation that only MBBS and higher-qualified modern medicine doctors be registered under MMC. The association warned of protest action if the issue is not addressed urgently.

A petition has already been filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Maharashtra, challenging a government resolution that allows homeopathic doctors to practise modern medicine after completing a short-term pharmacology course. The IMA argues that this practice, known as “cross-pathy,” dilutes the standards of modern medicine and could endanger patients. The next hearing is scheduled for July 11, 2025.

Dr Anil Pachnekar, National Vice President of IMA HQ Delhi and former president of IMA Maharashtra, said that the High Court had earlier raised objections to this development. “The hearing is scheduled for July 11, 2025. We will see the outcome. The demand is to roll back the decision,” he said.

According to him, the six-month CCMP cannot be equated with the rigorous MBBS degree, which requires years of academic study and clinical training. Doctors fear that such lateral entry undermines the MMC’s credibility, poses risks to patient safety, and erodes public trust.