"Mixopathy" Row Hits Maharashtra: 12,000 Doctors Stop Work Over Homeopaths Prescribing Allopathic Drugs!

Allopathic (MBBS) doctors across the state have launched a major statewide strike from midnight on August 5. Led by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) along with resident doctor unions, thousands of private and government hospital doctors have stopped routine medical work, shutting down Outpatient Departments (OPDs) and postponing planned surgeries.

The big fight is over what doctors call "Mixopathy" or cross-practice. The Maharashtra government has permitted Homeopathic (BHMS) degree holders to prescribe modern allopathic (English) medicines after taking a short-term certificate course in pharmacology. MBBS doctors are strongly protesting this move, arguing that a short bridge course cannot replace five and a half years of intense clinical training. They insist that allowing non-allopathic doctors to practice modern medicine violates National Medical Commission guidelines and Supreme Court rulings, putting patient safety at direct risk.

On the other side of the row, the state government and supporters of the policy argue that the rule is necessary to solve India's rural doctor shortage. Officials say that letting trained homeopathic practitioners dispense basic primary medicines helps poor patients in remote, village, and tribal areas get immediate relief when MBBS doctors are unavailable.

For the common man, this battle between medical systems means regular clinic consultations, diagnostic tests, and routine operations will remain heavily impacted across Maharashtra. However, to ensure life-saving care is not stopped, protesting doctors have kept emergency rooms, ICUs, casualty wards, and labor rooms running as normal. Patients requiring urgent treatment will still receive care, but routine doctor visits should be rescheduled until the row is resolved.