Allowing Homeopaths to practice allopathic medicine should be a welcome move?

Allowing Homeopaths to practice allopathic medicine should be a welcome move?

Recently the Maharashtra government gave its permission to homeopaths to prescribe allopathic drugs after they complete a year-long course in pharmacology.

This step has been criticized by the Indian Medical Association and MBBS students. But is this step going to compensate for the less number of doctors for a larger population or is it another pre-poll strategy, let’s find out:-

For the argument

1. The Ayurvedic and Unani doctors are allowed to practice in allopath, then why not homeopaths?

2. The move to allow them to study pharmacology will only enhance their education and create credible doctors for the society.

3. This move is aimed at tackling the shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas.

4. The study of allopath and homeopath are somewhere, connected. If one can specialize in homeopath; he can also learn allopath.

5. This step will produce doctors having specialization in both the streams of medical science. Ultimately it will enhance the quality of treatment by the doctors.

6. A lot of homeopaths are already pursuing allopathy albeit illegally; this move will legalize it.

7. The move requires the homeopaths to pursue a 1 year course in pharmacology. All other subjects that they study during their academics are similar to those of allopaths. So, the bridge course should be enough to get them ready to prescribe allopathic medicines.

8. A lot of hospitals already have homeopaths recruited in their system for the shortage of formal allopathic doctors.

Against the argument

1. The fact that allopathy can be learnt in 1 year is in itself questionable because it takes years for a doctor to learn allopathy.

2. All the three sectors of health care- allopath, homeopath and ayurveda are based on different principles. And there is very less possibility for anyone to handle all of them together.

3. Many homeopaths will enroll for the course only for the sake of getting a license to practice allopath with improper expertise.

4. This step is against the Supreme Court decision which banned doctors to practice more than one stream.

5. This move might see students who want to practice regular medicine but couldn’t get through medical school opt for alternative courses and then practice regular medicine.

Conclusion

Any decision which effects the medical science must be taken after great deliberation. There must not be one year practice for studying allopath but a proper 4 year study if one wants to turn to allopath from homeopath.

Only then we can create well deserved doctors otherwise this step can create chaos in the field of health care.