TSMC cracks down on quackery, files 300 FIRs

The Telangana State Medical Council has filed nearly 300 FIRs at various locations in Telangana against individuals with no MBBS degree but continue to practise out of clinics and other healthcare establishments.

Hyderabad: To curb the practice of quackery, the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has launched a major initiative to identify unqualified persons who are practising allopathy from unauthorised clinics, conduct raids on their premises and then file FIRs against them at the nearest police station. Ever since the special initiative has been launched, the TS Medical Council has filed nearly 300 FIRs at various locations in Telangana against individuals with no MBBS degree but continue to practise out of clinics and other healthcare establishments.

Usually, in all the Indian States, the task of identifying and then cracking down on quacks is taken up by the local Drug Control Administration (DCA). However, this is the first time in Telangana State that the members of State Medical Council have taken the lead and have decided to identify and file FIRs against quacks. At present, both the TSDCA and TSMC conduct independent raids on unqualified medical practitioners and file FIRs against them.

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To make the initiative more effective, the TSMC has formed special committees, comprising senior office bearers, to investigate unethical practitioners in nursing homes and other healthcare institutions. The committees also file police cases against quacks and send notices to them and follow up with the local law authorities to file a chargesheet against such individuals.

“Persons with no MBBS degree but managing to practise allopathy are a great danger not only to patients but also for the society. There is every chance of misdiagnosis or a treatment further complicating the health condition of patients. There is no place for such individuals. There are numerous first-aid centres, small clinics and nursing homes that are run by unqualified individuals in Telangana.

They have formed associations and become quite influential,” says Dr. G Srinivas, vicechairman, TSMSC. Over the years, the unregistered medical practitioners in Telangana State have formed influential associations that get a lot of patronage from local public representatives. As a result, sometimes it becomes very difficult for the members of TSMC to conduct raids and register FIRs against such individuals.

Drug Control Administration launches crackdown

For the past year or so, the Drug Control Administration (TSDCA), Telangana State, has also launched a concerted effort to crack down on unqualified individuals who practice allopathy without any MBBS degree.

Between January and September, a total of 92 cases have been initiated by the DCA against quacks, who also indulge in unlicensed stocking for sale of drugs. In September, raids were conducted at 26 different locations against quacks and Rs 9.16 lakh worth of drugs were seized for unlicensed stocking and illegal sale through their outlets, said VB Kamalasan Reddy, DG, DCA Telangana.

The drug inspectors detected several higher generation antibiotics including Meropenem, Cefadroxil, Cefixime, Cefpodoxime, Amoxycillin, Ampicillin, and also steroids including Hydrocortisone injections, Prednisolone, Dexamethasone injections, etc.  Wholesalers and dealers supplying medicines to such unqualified persons/unlicensed entities are also punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The DCA issues drug licences for the stocking and selling of medicines in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and stocking drugs for sale without a drug licence is punishable, with imprisonment for up to five years, Kamalsan Reddy added.

Legal standing

As per sections 34 and 54 of the National Medical Council Act 2019, unqualified individuals (quacks) face up to one year of imprisonment and Rs 5 lakh penalty. The Section 54 of the NMC Act, which states that doctors who are registered under the local medical council or the National Medical Commission (NMC) can practice modern medicine, allows the local medical councils like Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) to initiate action against such individuals.