Doctors backing quacks to face action

CHENNAI: Complaints about nearly a dozen doctors, who have lent their name boards, prescription and offices to quacks, have reached the Tamil Nadu State Medical Council and in most cases, the complaints are raised by state public health officials - including the joint director of medical services.
On Monday, the general counsel of the statutory body will meet to decide on the recommendations of the disciplinary committee against two such cases. Tenkasi joint director Dr P K Elangovan had told the council that they caught Anburaj red-handed while prescribing medicines to patients in Dr S Sivakumar's prescription letterhead. During the inquiry, Dr Sivakumar admitted to the council that he worked in a clinic belonging to Anburaj on Sundays, but told them that he was not aware of his letterhead being misused.
Another complaint filed by Dr Elangovan claimed that radiologist Dr Kulandaivelu, working with Subham Scan Centre, Tenkasi, allowed homoeopathy doctor Dhavamani to take ultrasound scans in his absence. Dr Elangovan alleged that Dhavamani signed the scan reports, although Dr Kulandaivelu sent monthly reports to the state health department for Dr Dhavamani, too.
However, Dr Kulandaivelu denied the allegation saying Dr Dhavamani was a sonologist trained in ultrasound scan at Bharathidasan University. "As per the Act, a doctor can use the machine registered in his/her own name. It wasn't registered in Dr Dhavamani's name because her qualification is not recognized by MCI. She can't perform scans on her own," said medical council president Dr K Senthil.
In another case, Theni-based Vanagamudi running Vivekananda Hospital in Kadamalaikundu was caught redhanded by the district administration. “Vanagamudi was caught for the third time and we found at least seven doctors lending their names and boards to his hospital. We have issued them showcause notices,” said a senior member at the council.
A team led by deputy superintendent Dr Thomas Prabhakaran has found that quacks pay doctors at least Rs 25,000 a month. A Supreme Court ruling in 1996 defines anyone practising modern medicine without training (in the same discipline), even if they are trained in alternative systems of medicine such as siddha and ayurveda, as a quack. The Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, stipulates only those registered with the MCI can practice medicine.