The fate of pending PIL at Bombay High Court (HC) related to crosspathy practised in the state is yet to see the light of the day even as allopathy practitioners are at loggerheads with the government over the issue of allowing Ayush practitioners to prescribe modern medicine.

MMC had petitioned to the Bombay HC opposing crosspathy practised in the state wherein Ayurveda and Homoeopathy practitioners are allowed to prescribe allopathy medicines which is not in accordance with the MMC Act.

The state had also issued a notification on September 27, 2017 allowing Licentiate of the Court of Examiners in Homoeopathy (LECH) degree holders, who have completed their homoeopathic courses between 1951 and 1982 to practise modern medicine.

According to an MMC official, though Bombay High Court (HC) has stayed issuance of licenses to homeopaths to practice allopathy but at the same time has allowed them to study modern medicine for their understanding and knowledge. Therefore there is a lack of clarity on the matter.

Now with the constitution of MMC after a gap of more than one year, cases related to crosspathy will be taken up which however was hit by a major roadblock over administrative lapses in the past.

This comes close on the heels of union health ministry recently amending provision dealing with bridge course for Ayush practitioners and has also notified the state governments to take necessary measures for promoting primary health care in rural areas.

Amendment was made following opposition from allopaths based on the recommendation of a parliamentary standing committee set up to suggest changes in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017.

The Maharashtra government started one-year Certificate Course of Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) in 2016 to address the issue of acute shortage of doctors in rural areas. The course trains the homeopathy doctors in certain areas of allopathy and does not include major surgeries or specialisations like neurology, organ transplant etc.

MMC which completed its 5-year term on May 21, 2016 was running on an ad hoc basis and election of the quasi-juidicial body was finally held on December 18, 2017 across 36 districts of the state at various medical colleges.