F.No.

Z-28019/04/2008-PMS
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi- 11
Dated the 4th June 2008
To:
Shri Uday Kumar
27, Lawyers Chambers
Supreme Court Compound
Tilak Marg, New Delhi
Subject:Application received from Shri Uday Kumar of Delhi seeking information
under RTI Act, 2005 regarding profession of Physiotherapy-reg.
Sir,
With respect to your application under RTI Act, 2005 dated 20.03.2008, I am directed to give you
following information:S.No.
(a)

(b)

(d)
(e)

Question
Whether a physiotherapist is known as a
Doctor if not then what is the appropriate
term, which can be used for them as a
prefix?
Who all are known as Paramedical Staff?

Can a paramedical person like Bachelor of

Physiotherapist and/or Master of
Physiotherapist use the word Doctor
before his/her name?
What is the punishment if a person uses the
word Doctor without being authorized by
the MCI?
Can a qualified physiotherapist prescribe
the all9opathic medicine? If yes then to
what extent he can prescribe medicines?

Reply
No, presently there is no specific term, which a
physiotherapist can use as a prefix.
According to the draft bill for proposed paramedical and
physiotherapy central councils bill, 2007 Paramedical
Staff are known as paramedic, which means a person
whose name has been entered in the registers of the
Paramedical (Medical Laboratory Technology) Central
Council and Paramedical (Radiology Technology)
Central Council.
Physiotherapists cannot use the word Doctor before
his/her name.
The question has been transferred to MCI and will be
replied by them directly to you.
-Do-

Yours faithfully,
Sd/2.6.8
(R.L. Chongthu)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
Copy to:
The Secretary, MCI, Sector-8, Pocket-14, Dwarka-1, Delhi 77 w.r.t. querry no (e) & (e) above with a
request to send a reply to the applicant under intimation to this Ministry.
Sd/2.6.8
(R.L. Chongthu)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

Pocket-14, Sector-8, Dwarka, New Delhi 110 077
No. MCI-211)2)(RTI)/2008-Ethics/287

Dated: 5/4/08

Mr. Uday Kumar, Advocate,

27, Lawyers Chambers,
Supreme Court Compound,
Tilak Marg,,
New Delhi 110 001.
Subject:

Use of the title Doctor to physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and

other para-medical personnel.

Sir,
With reference to your application dated 20/03/08 for seeking information under RTI Act, 2005, the
reply of your query A to E in a similar matter are as follows:This is to inform you that the subject matter was considered by the General Body of this Council at its
meeting held on 29.03.2004 and it was decided as under:
The Council considered the matter and noted its earlier decision taken at its meeting held on 20.10.2003 as
under:The Council noted the following recommendations of the Ethical Committee duly approved by the Executive
Committee and decided to obtain the legal opinion in the matter:The Ethical Committee unanimously decided that the title Doctor may be used by the registered medical
practitioners in the modern medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Uani (Whichever State it is applicable). No
other group of workers in the field of medicl profession whether nursing or para-medical staff are or should use
to title Doctor.
The Council after due deliberations in the matter approved the legal opinion received from the Council
Advocate, operative part of which reads as under: . Under these circumstances, in my opinion, the official stand of the Council is correctly depicted by
the decision taken by the Ethics Committee approved by the General Body of the Council. This be
communicated to Dr. Edmund M.D., Couto, Principal/Programme Director KMCH College of Physiotherapy,
Coimbatore in unambiguous and unequivocal term that a person holding any qualification in physiotherapy is
not entitled to use the title of Doctor as prefix.
Accordingly, in my view, wherever any person is found to be using the title of Doctor as a prefix when such
person is holding a qualification in physiotherapy but not possessing any recognized medical qualification, he
would be violating the provisions of Act of 1916 and as such, he would expose himself for necessary action by
filing or requiring the filing of a complain in accordance with Section 7 of the 1916 Act for violation of Sections
6 and 6A (wherever applicable) of the said Act.
Name & Address of Appellate Authority:

Lt. (Col) (Retd.) Dr. A.R.N. Setalvad

Secretary, Medical Council of India
Pocket-14, Sector-8, Dwarka,
New Delhi-110 077
Yours faithfully,
Sd/(Dr. P. Kumar)
Additional Secretary & P.I.O.

Copy to RTI Section, Medical Council of India, New Delhi