Sunday, November 19, 2017

HC permits acupuncture by authorised practitioners

| Nov 18, 2017, 00:26 IST
 
Madurai: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court permitted acupuncture practice with a condition that the practitioners should produce certificate confirming that they are authorised to practice it.

Justice S S Sundar gave this relief on a petition filed by president of All Tamil Nadu Acupuncture and Alternative Medical Association, S Mohamed Sabir.

"It is stated that members of the association are qualified as practitioners of acupuncture treatment. They are not practising allopathy or any other system of medicine involving administration of drugs or adopting methods of treatment which are similar to allopathy. They have obtained valid degrees from recognised universities and their certificates are accepted for practising acupuncture. Thus, the court is inclined to permit the members of the petitioner association to practice acupuncture and other systems of medicine," the judge said.

The judge also said, "The members should produce the degree or certificate authorising them to practice acupuncture, whenever the police and the Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical Council (TNSMC) officials require to confirm that they are authorised to practice acupuncture."Before that, the petitioner's side said that Union health ministry has recognised acupuncture as drugless therapy. The members are practising acupuncture without getting any complaint from public. But, the registrar of the TNSMC wants to prevent acupuncture system by engaging police. Police enter the clinics and close them besides threatening practitioners not to provide acupuncture treatment to people.

Actually, the TNSMC has not empowered the registrar to conduct any enquiry or search. Besides, the alternate system of medicines and courses to be conducted do not come under the purview of the Medical Council of India. In order to develop and propagate any alternative medicine or drugless therapy, no permission or recognition has been contemplated in any of the statues. The Calcutta and Delhi high courts have passed orders in favour of alternative medicine. Acupuncture is an alternative medicine.

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