Notwithstanding the Anti Quackery Bill that has been pending for clearance before the state cabinet since 2001, the Karnataka government has now come down strongly on practising quacks by issuing directive to all district health officers to inspect clinics and check out credentials of doctors.

If doctors have acquired fake certificates from unrecognised medical colleges in the country or purchased certificates from qualified doctors at an exorbitant price, the government has announced immediate prosecution.
Procurement of fake certificates from qualified medical practitioners has become rampant in the state, of late.

The government has empowered the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to initiate action. In addition, people have been asked to inform the police immediately about such doctors, who are also authorized to take instant action.

The Karnataka Quackery Prohibition Bill imposes a fine of Rest 35,000 and three-years imprisonment. The quacks can be punished under the Constitution of India -Sections 21, 47 and 226 for violation of Human Rights. Under Indian Penal Code, Section 34, even qualified doctors supporting quacks can be prosecuted under charges of criminal conspiracy towards public, informed sources, from the directorate of health and family welfare.

Pagoda Thimmappa, Karnataka minister for health and family welfare has issued a directive to all the district health officers to regularly inspect clinics and keep a watch over notices and hoardings that claim complete cure for diseases like epilepsy, fistula, HIV/AIDS, arthritis and cancer.

Medical practitioners who declare cures for certain chronic disorders will be interrogated and their clinics will be raided and if found guilty they would be prosecuted under the penal clauses of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Art, 1954.

In the last five years, practising quacks are on the rise in Karnataka. In 1998, there were 25,000 and increased to 75,000 in 2002, which are the latest figures available with the Anti quackery, Drug Abuse and Legal Cell Indian Medical Association. The state has become a haven for unqualified doctors mainly because of the de-recognition of 12 medical colleges, increasing health problems and need for instant cures for chronic disorders, Kagodu Thimmappa told Pharmabiz.com

According to P Janardhan Rao, co-chairman, anti quackery, drug abuse and legal cell Indian Medical Association, parties that have government support back the quacks in the state. While government pegs the quack doctor numbers at 500 in the entire state in 2002, the Karnataka branch of the Indian Medical Association's anti-quackery cell gets three complaints a day which amounts to 1,080 a year.

According to sources from the Karnataka Ayurveda-Unani Practitioners' Board, over 850 doctors have been served notices of violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Art, 1954 between August and October 2002.

According to Dr A H Gowda, registrar, Karnataka Ayurveda-Unani Practitioners' Board, orders have been issued to the district health officers to take action against quacks. But the government is not in a position to take action and issued prosecution orders mainly because of lack of evidence and support from the people.