The Madras high court has urged authorities to crack down on unregistered institutions that offer "alternative" medical courses and to take legal action against both the institutions and the practitioners since they present a serious risk to society.

On Monday, Justice Mr. S. M. Subramaniam gave the order, denying relief to 61 people who claimed to practice "alternative" medicine after completing a six-month course with an "all-India" institute. The petitioners have gone to court to request that the Tamil Nadu police refrain from interfering with their ability to practice and dispense alternative medicines.

The petition was rejected as being signed by unqualified people who cannot be allowed to treat patients since the consequences would be devastating. The court added that, no doubt, alternate medicine is available across the country, but practicing medicine should be done only by qualified medical practitioners.

The judge also noted that allowing any unrecognized institute to conduct six-month medical courses and issue diploma certificates would have disastrous societal repercussions. The judge based this observation on the Tamil Nadu governments claim that the National Board of Alternative Medicine, the institution from which the petitioners took the diploma course, is an unrecognized institute.

The authorities were further ordered to make sure that the 61 petitioners do not go on to practice alternative medicine or any other type of medicine in the future without a valid medical certificate that is recognized by the law currently in effect and without having their names registered with the Medical Council of Tamil Nadu. 

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/education/unqualified-alternative-medicine-dangerous-madras-hc/98931474 )