The Karnataka Ayurveda and Unani Practitioners Board has banned three bodies that issue fake doctor certificates in the Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy ISM&H. The banned bodies are Karnataka State Electrohomeopathy Research and Development Association in Dharwad, Kansa Institute of Electrohomeopathy, Madivala in Bangalore and Rural Homeopathy Association, Gokak in Shimoga district.

The State will now follow the recommendations of the 'Standing Committee of Experts' under the chairmanship of director general of Indian Council of Medical Research to de-recognize new streams of medicine like electropathy/electrohomeopathy, acupuncture, magnetotherapy, Reiki, reflexology, urine therapy, autourine therapy, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, color therapy, pranic healing gems and stones therapy and music therapy conducted by practitioners who are not doctors and only hold certificates in these branches. The title 'Dr' should be prefixed only by registered medical practitioners of ISM.

Currently, the state has 20,000 quacks operating in the guise of doctors and providing cures to people in the Indian System of Medicine.

The state has now issued a notice that only graduates and post graduates of ISM&H degree courses approved by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences will be recognized as qualified medical practitioners. Violators will be banned to practice and their clinics will be closed, stated Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, chairman, Regulatory Committee, Central Council of Indian Medicine, government of India.

The recognition for new alternative medicine has been under consideration with the government since 1998. In November 2003, the government of India considered the orders dated November 18, 1998 of the High Court of Delhi, in CWP No. 4015/96 and OM No. 8468/97 which has inter-alia directed the Central/State governments to consider making legislation to grant of licenses to the existing new institutes.

With the issuance of orders from the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, (order No. R-14015/25/96-U&H (pt) dated 25.11.2003) to ban unrecognized methods of alternative medicine and provide adequate publicity in the media about the respondents has come in as a major relief to crack down the quacks, informed Dr KC Ballal, member, Central Council of Indian Medicine, government of India.

The government has now constituted a 'Standing Committee of Experts' under the chairmanship of director general of Indian Council of Medical Research and members representing various fields of medicine to give recommendations to the government on the efficacy and merits of these new line of alternative medicine and also examine feasibility of making legislations as suggested by the High Court, stated Dr A Hanume Gowda, registrar, Karnataka Ayurvedic & Unani Practitioners Board.

The committee did not recognize any of the new alternative medicines except the already existing Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, homeopathy, yoga and naturopathy. However, acupuncture and hypnotherapy, have been permitted to be practiced by registered practitioners.

Karnataka Directorate of ISM&H is now geared up to ensure that degree/diploma and granted by fake doctors. The public is alerted to bring to the notice of the directorate on fake practices.

According to Dr Srinivasa Varma, ex. registrar, Karnataka Ayurveda & Unani Practitioners Board, the Karnataka High Court had squashed its petition filed a few years back. The quacks who posed themselves as doctors approached the Supreme Court for the recognition of their practice and for affiliation with any of the existing Medical Councils. The CCIM's Standing Committee of Experts have now withdrawn de-recognized the new systems of medicine.