Punjab doctors banned from advertising services

CHANDIGARH: Tightening the noose around doctors who promise sureshot cures for sexual and other ailments, Punjab government on Wednesday banned their advertisements and threatened to cancel the licences of offenders.

A meeting of heads of medical councils and boards chaired by Medical Education and Research Secretary Jagjit Puri decided to initiate action against all registered medical practitioners of homoeopathy, ayurveda and allopathy who advertise their services via the print, broadcast and outdoor media.

Any doctor found giving advertisements would be issued show cause notice by the medical authorities and proceedings would be launched for cancellation of his licence.

Puri issued instrutions for starting a campaign to stop advertisements by RMPs as it was in violation of guidelines of the Medical Council of India and Indian Medical Association.

He said it was "unfortunate that some leading medical practitioners" were advertising through the media and putting hoardings claiming "total rejuvenation especially in matter of sexual problems and assuring the birth of male children".

The district authorities and transport department were also being approached to remove hoardings of doctors from municipal limits, bus depots and stops.

Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sood had also stated that some RMPs were "luring innocent people by giving misleading advertisements" and turning the medical profession into a money-minting business, Puri added.