Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether any measures have been taken by the Government to regulate medical profession in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the number and details of amendments made in the Medical Council of India Act, 1956 after its enactment; and
(c) the measures taken to eradicate/ curtail corruption in the medical fraternity?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): The professional conduct of the medical practitioners in India is regulated by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the respective State Medical Councils. The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 empowers the Medical Council of India and respective State Medical Councils to award punishment to a doctor against any act of violation of the Code of Ethics.
(b): The details of the amendments made in the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 are as under:
i) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 1964: Amendments have been made in section 1, 2, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25 and 33 of the Principal Act. Further, section 19A and 20A were also inserted.
ii) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 1993: Section 10A, 10B and 10C were inserted in the Principal Act.
iii) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2001: Section 13 of the Principal Act was amended and new sub-clauses 4A, 4B and 4C were also inserted in the section 13.
iv) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2010: Section 3A, 3B and 3C were inserted in the Principal Act.
v) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2011: Amendment was made in section 3A of the Principal Act.
vi) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2012: Amendment was made in section 3A of the Principal Act.
vii) Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2016: Section 10D was inserted in the Principal Act.
(c): Standards of professional conduct and etiquette and a code of ethics for medical practitioners are prescribed under Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 which are statutory in force and required to be followed by all the medical practitioners in the country.