IMA comes out against physiotherapists

KOCHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has  issued a statement against the ‘fraudulent’ medical practice of physiotherapists. “In modern medical science the joint effort of nurses, pharmacists, X-Ray technicians and physiotherapists are vital to the doctor to carry out successful treatment of certain diseases. But  physiotherapists have launched a national body for themselves and decided  to add the prefix doctor to their name,” the IMA  statement said. Several public interest litigations were filed in Madras and Patna High Courts against the ‘self-declared physiotherapist doctors’. “As per the guidelines issued by the Indian Medical Council, only those persons who have completed MBBS degree and registered with the council can prefix doctor and practise medicine,” the statement of the medical  association said.