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Mumbai, July 8, 2025 — The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has issued a new notification permitting homeopathic practitioners to register as allopathic doctors after completing a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), a move that has ignited fierce debate in the state’s medical community.
Under the new guidelines, homeopaths who obtain the CCMP certification can register with the MMC as ‘Registered Medical Practitioners’ (RMPs), legally allowing them to prescribe allopathic (modern) medicines. The MMC will begin accepting online applications for registration from July 15, 2025.
The decision stems from amendments made in 2014 to the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Practitioners Act and the Maharashtra Medical Council Act, which allowed homeopaths to prescribe modern medicines under certain conditions. However, implementation was delayed due to legal and regulatory challenges, including a stay order from the Bombay High Court following opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The move has drawn sharp criticism from allopathic doctors and the IMA, who argue it threatens medical standards and could endanger public health. “FDA is a drug regulator but it does not have the authority to recognise who can practice medicine. That authority lies only with the MMC,” said Dr. Santosh Kadam, President, IMA Maharashtra. Critics have also raised concerns about the potential for “crosspathy”—the practice of mixing different systems of medicine—and the adequacy of a six-month pharmacology course in preparing homeopaths for allopathic practice.
Despite the backlash, the MMC states it is acting on government directions and legal clearances. “We will begin registering them starting July 15. Till then, we will be studying what kinds of medicines they will be allowed to prescribe,” said MMC administrator Dr. Vinky Rughwani. The scope of allopathic medicines and diseases that homeopaths will be permitted to manage remains under review.
The legal dispute is ongoing, with the IMA indicating plans to challenge the new directive in court. The matter of whether homeopaths can fully practice allopathy in Maharashtra is still subject to judicial review.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on recent notifications and ongoing legal proceedings. The eligibility of homeopathic practitioners to prescribe allopathic medicines in Maharashtra is currently subject to the final outcome of pending court cases. Readers are advised to consult official government and regulatory sources for the most up-to-date information.
