Maharashtra CCMP Row: NCH Clarification Puts Homoeopathy Bridge Course Debate Back in Focus

A long-standing controversy regarding the 'Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology' (CCMP) for homoeopaths in Maharashtra has resurfaced. The National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) has recently clarified the circumstances under which homoeopathic practitioners may operate outside their own system of medicine.

This clarification comes among protests by modern medicine practitioners against the registration of CCMP-qualified homoeopaths with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). A protracted legal battle over this issue is also underway in the Bombay High Court, with a significant hearing on the matter expected this week.

Under the NCH's 2022 professional conduct regulations, a homoeopathic practitioner generally cannot practice any other system of medicine; however, the rules contain a specific proviso.

It states that a homoeopathic practitioner may work under a National Health Programme or any other programme of the Central or State government, provided they have completed training or a course recognised or prescribed by the competent authority.

The NCH also referred to its BHMS regulations, which address the role of homoeopathic graduates in government health facilities and National Health Programmes. According to the Commission, the recent clarification was issued to explain these provisions within the proper regulatory context.

This is the most crucial part of the matter. The clarification issued by the NCH cannot be generally interpreted as granting homoeopaths permission to practice modern medicine.

The question of whether Maharashtra's CCMP framework falls within that specific exception and whether a homoeopath can obtain registration with the modern medicine council based on the CCMP qualification remains sub judice.

In other words, while the NCH has indeed issued a clarification, the final legal position regarding Maharashtra's CCMP still hinges on a court decision.

The debate surrounding the CCMP is essentially linked to India's broader concept of a "bridge course." The objective of such courses was to provide practitioners trained in other medical systems with supplementary training, enabling them to deliver primary healthcare services in specific areas—particularly where there is a shortage of doctors.

However, a section of modern medicine practitioners opposes this concept, arguing that supplementary training in pharmacology alone is insufficient. They contend that skills in diagnosis, clinical practice, and the management of post-treatment complications are equally crucial.

The CCMP in Maharashtra serves as a state-specific example of this debate. Under this program, homoeopathic doctors holding a BHMS degree can undergo an additional course in modern pharmacology. The issue gained significant importance this year following moves to grant MMC registration to CCMP-qualified practitioners.

According to published data, it is estimated that approximately 10,000 BHMS graduates have completed the CCMP course over the years.

However, the core of the current controversy is not only whether they can prescribe specific modern medicines. The major question is whether, based on the CCMP qualification, they can be included in the legal register of modern medicine practitioners.

This difference has become one of the key reasons behind the doctors' protests.

The legal battle surrounding Maharashtra's CCMP is not new. As early as 2014, the IMA and certain members of the Maharashtra Medical Council challenged this state action in the Bombay High Court.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court directed the High Court to speed up the resolution of the case. However, even after all these years, the matter remains unresolved.

Now, following the clarification issued by the NCH, a significant new regulatory context has come before the court. A key question, in particular, is whether the qualification obtained through the CCMP can serve as the basis for registration in modern medicine within Maharashtra.