Can Physiotherapists be called Doctors?

Physiotherapists are often found under the scanner if they can use Dr as a title against their name. The question remains is a Physiotherapist a Doctor? Let us find out in this article if a physiotherapist is a doctor or can a BPT be called as a Doctor in India? 

There has been an ongoing debate for years that who can be called as a doctor in India as there are several healthcare streams in the country. However, in a judgment released by the Supreme Court (SC) way back in 1996, it was held that medical practitioners who have an MBBS degree and above can only be referred to as 'Doctors'. Physiotherapists register with their council as therapists only and cannot prefix their names with the title of ‘Dr’. The Madras High Court had also said that even Ayurveda and Siddha practitioners should not use this title.

It is to be noted that (DPT) Physiotherapists are also called Physical Therapists. In India it is BPT & MBBS instead of DPT & MD. 

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However, the Indian Association of Physiotherapists has a different story to tell. According to the association, physiotherapists can use the title ‘Dr’ before their names and the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have no statutory power to regulate the profession in India. The General Secretary of IAP has started a trial against IMA and MCI for defaming the professionals by asking them not to call themselves 'Doctor'. They also said that physiotherapist will prefix their names with ‘Dr’ and suffix the same with (PT) and write physiotherapist in all their communications.

The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1994

The RCI Act was enacted in 1994 to regulate the training of rehabilitation professions and to maintain a central rehabilitation register for all the matters connected to these professions. According to Section 2 in XVII chapter of the RCI Act, the term ‘physiotherapist’ refers to a rehabilitation professional. Thus, Indian physiotherapists are regulated by the provisions of the RCI Act and its rules and regulations.

The act also states that physiotherapists are not allowed to practice medicine and to prescribe drugs, especially the scheduled drugs that are listed in the Drugs and the Cosmetics Act on their own. They do not possess the recognised qualification as mentioned in the Indian Medical Council Act 1956. Also, they cannot and should not claim themselves to be a specialist medical practitioner by prefixing ‘Dr’ with their name in their prescription. Practicing this is an offense in the eyes of the law and the said person is a quack and can be dealt with imprisonment or penalty or both.

Supreme Court’s verdict

The SC says that Section 15 (2) (b) of the 1956 Act prohibits all practitioners from practicing and prescribing modern scientific medicine in any state and in any medical branch except the medical practitioner who has been enrolled in the Medical Register of the state. It further elaborates that the term ‘doctor’ should be used only by the practitioners of Allopathic systems of Medicine that have been recognised by the Government of India. The term should not be considered for modes of therapy. The physiotherapists are not allowed to portray themselves as registered medical practitioners by prefixing the word ‘Dr’ with their name. If they are found guilty, then they are considered to have committed an offense under different sections of the Indian Penal Code.

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