Quashing its own recent decision, the Maharashtra Medical Education Department has stayed its earlier order allowing homeopathy doctors to practise modern medicine after completing a one-year certification course. The move comes in the wake of a high court stay and mounting opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which termed the order a potential contempt of court.

“We spoke to the principal secretary of the medical education department and other senior officials, and explained how this government resolution, issued earlier this month despite the high court’s stay, would amount to contempt of court,” said Dr Santosh Kadam, president of IMA, Maharashtra.

“The court had clearly stayed the Maharashtra Medical Council’s (MMC) decision to allow homeopathy doctors to treat patients with modern medicine and prescribe allopathic medicines. The MMC had earlier said these doctors must complete a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), but that’s simply not enough,” Kadam added.