Legal Status of Acupuncture

The following books have been released by the Council –

Alternate Medical Doctors Law Volume I - Alternate Medical Council of India (Rules, Regulations, Notifications, Circulars, Acts and Laws from British era and as enacted by the Government of India till today

Alternate Medical Doctors Law Volume II - Alternate Medical Council of India (Judgements passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and various Hon’ble High Courts across India).

In this process Govt. has considered the Orders dated 18.11.98 of the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi in CWP No.4015/96 & OM NO.8468/97, which has inter-alia, directed the Central / State Govts., to consider making legislation to grant of licenses to the existing and new institutes etc. to control & regulate the various "unrecognised" streams of alternative medicines and also to give adequate publicity through media informing public about the Registered Alternate Medical Practitioners and similar other institutes for being recognized by the Government and affiliated with any of the Councils.

The Government constituted a 'Standing Committee of Experts' under the Chairmanship of Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research and members were drawn from various fields of medicine to consider and give its recommendations to the Government. on the efficacy / merits of various streams of alternative medicine and also examine feasibility of making legislation as suggested by the Hon'ble Court. The Committee developed essential & desirable criteria for grant of recognition to a new stream of medicine and analysed the different streams of 'Alternative medicine' viz. Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homoeopathy, Yoga & Naturopathy, Elecropathy / Electrohomoeopathy, Acupuncture, Magnetotherapy, Reiki, Reflexology, Urine Therapy / Autourine Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Aromatherapy, Colour Therapy, Pranic Healing, Gems & Stone Therapy and Music Therapy.

The Committee has recommended that certain practices, not included in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homeopathy and Yoga & Naturopathy, such as Acupuncture and Hypnotherapy which qualified as modes of therapy, could be allowed to be practiced by registered practitioners or appropriately trained personnel, which were found to fulfill the essential & desirable criteria developed by the Committee for recognition of a system of medicine. The Committee further suggested that all those Systems of Medicine not recognized as separate Systems should not be allowed to continue full time Bachelor and Master's degree courses and the term "Doctor" should be used only by practitioners of Systems of Medicine recognized by the Government of India. Those considered as Mode of Therapy can be conducted as Certificate courses for registered medical practitioners to adopt these modes of therapy in their practice, whether modern medicine or Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy.

After carefully examining the various recommendations of the Committee, the Government accepted these recommendations of the Committee. Accordingly, it is requested that the State/UT Govt. may give wide publicity to the decision of the Govt. They may also ensure that Institutions under the State/UT do not grant any degree / Diploma in the stream of medicine which have not been recommended for recognition and the term 'Doctor' is used by practitioners of recognized system of medicine.

(Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (Research Desk) Order dated 25th November 2003, bearing No. R.14015/25/96-U&H(R) (Pt))