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Context:

The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (MDA) has issued a directive allowing homeopathic practitioners to prescribe allopathic medicines.

About Crosspathy

It refers to the practice where medical practitioners trained in one system of medicine (like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, or Unani) prescribe treatments or medicines from another system, primarily Allopathy (modern medicine).  

It is generally considered illegal unless explicitly authorized by state laws or special government orders.

The Supreme Court in the Poonam Verma v/s Ashwin Patel and Others 1969, has ruled that practicing outside one’s expertise without authorization amounts to medical negligence, and practitioners have faced legal action under the Indian Medical Council Act and other state laws.

Challenges

• Practitioners may lack sufficient training in modern medicine, leading to risks of incorrect diagnoses and improper prescriptions.
• Conflicting laws and court rulings create confusion about what constitutes permissible crosspathy.
• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) strongly opposes crosspathy, reasoning it dilutes healthcare standards.

Possible reason behind the practice of crosspathy

• India faces a critical shortage of allopathic doctors, especially in rural areas, leading to AYUSH practitioners being utilized to fill gaps.
• Some states, like Maharashtra and Goa, have allowed limited crosspathy to address healthcare access issues.
• Patients in rural areas generally cannot afford specialist doctors, making AYUSH practitioners a more accessible option.

Recent Controversy

The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has permitted homeopathic practitioners with a certificate in modern pharmacology to prescribe allopathic medicines to address healthcare challenges.

The decision has faced strong opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), who argue that a short pharmacology course cannot replace the training of an MBBS doctor.

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Source: 

THE HINDU