A doctor from Assam, Dr. Priyam Bordoloi, MBBS, MD Internal Medicine, has publicly criticized an independent Ayurvedic practitioner after obtaining a copy of a prescription that contained only allopathic (modern) medicines, despite being issued under the banner of an Ayurvedic clinic. The prescription, according to Bordoloi, included modern pharmaceuticals rather than classical Ayurvedic formulations.
Following Bordoloi’s social-media post highlighting the prescription and raising concerns about legitimacy, he reportedly began receiving threats from anonymous accounts. Despite the backlash, Bordoloi said he would not remove the documentation, asserting that the public needed to be aware of what he viewed as “unchecked malpractice.”
The controversy has reignited debate over “cross-pathy,” i.e., practitioners of one medical system prescribing medicines from a different system, a practice that remains legally and ethically contested in many Indian states.
Under the Indian Drugs & Cosmetics Rules (Section 2 (ee)), a “Registered Medical Practitioner” (RMP) is generally defined as someone with qualifications recognised under the Indian Medical Degrees Act or registered with the appropriate State Medical Register for modern medicine.
The issue of AYUSH practitioners (of systems such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, etc.) prescribing allopathic medicines has long been debated. According to the Supreme Court ruling in Dr. Mukhtiar Chand vs. State of Punjab (1998), non-MBBS doctors cannot practice allopathy.
Further, a 2023 judgement of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) found an Ayurvedic doctor guilty of “deficiency in service” after prescribing allopathic drugs, holding that such cross-prescription violated legal requirements, and could amount to negligence.
Regulatory bodies such as the National Medical Commission (NMC) have also drafted guidelines (under the Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulation 2022) recommending that practitioners should not prescribe medicines outside the system they are trained in.
Medical experts and regulatory commentators argue that prescribing allopathic medicines, especially potent modern drugs like antibiotics, steroids, or other pharmacological agents requires thorough training in pharmacology, diagnostics, and patient monitoring. AYUSH training, which emphasizes traditional medicine, typically does not provide this background.
This makes cross-system prescribing risky for patients: improper dosages, dangerous drug interactions, misdiagnosis due to lack of access to modern diagnostic tools, or delays in critical care may follow.
Studies have documented instances where patients experienced serious adverse events including worsening of conditions or new complications after receiving allopathic drugs prescribed by unqualified practitioners.
Hence, many medical and legal experts consider cross-potency prescribing by AYUSH practitioners without appropriate qualifications or registration to be not only unethical but unlawful.
(Rh/TL/MSM)