Pune, 9 July 2025: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Pune, has strongly opposed the Maharashtra government's decision to register homeopathy doctors (BHMS) who have completed a one-year bridge course in pharmacology under a separate register in the Maharashtra Medical Council. In protest, the IMA submitted a memorandum to the district collector on Tuesday and warned of a strike starting July 11 if the decision is not withdrawn.
The association has expressed deep concern, stating that the decision poses a direct threat to public health. The IMA had already filed a petition in the High Court earlier this February against the government’s potential move in this direction. The case is still sub judice, and the association argues that issuing such an order at this stage could be viewed as contempt of court.
The bridge course in pharmacology provides BHMS doctors with basic knowledge of pharmacology and medicine. However, the IMA emphasized that this limited training cannot be equated with the comprehensive five-and-a-half-year MBBS degree. Granting these doctors the right to practice modern medicine could lead to confusion among patients and potentially life-threatening consequences due to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatments, or lack of surgical knowledge.
IMA Pune and other allopathic medical associations voiced their concerns in the memorandum, stating that such a move would endanger patient safety, especially in emergency situations. The associations fear that legitimizing homeopathy practitioners as modern medicine doctors without adequate training may result in widespread medical malpractice.
The memorandum was submitted to District Collector Jitendra Dudi and Resident Collector Jyoti Kadam by IMA Pune President Dr. Sunil Ingle, Secretary Dr. Ranjit Ghatge, and senior member Dr. Sanjay Patil. The delegation has urged the Chief Minister to immediately intervene and withdraw the controversial decision to safeguard public health.
