Revamped National Medical Commission Bill put in public domain for feedback

MUMBAI: In a major step towards revamping regulations in medical education and services, the government has proposed the National Medical Commission Bill. The bill proposes setting up of several autonomous boards that will be bestowed with wide powers to maintain high ethical standards in medical education and professional services. The proposed bill comes after months of debate over loose regulations in the segment that have led to severe lapses in the system.

The proposed bill said it is aimed at encouraging latest medical research, supply high quality of medical professionals and provide for objective periodic assessments of medical institutions. The government proposed to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The new bill is expected to substitute it.

The bill proposes constitution of the Medical Advisory Council and to have representations from a broad set of experts drawn from across the country. The proposed bill, put in public domain for feedback from stakeholders on Wednesday, also aims to facilitate the maintenance of a medical register for India and enforce high ethical standards in professional medical services.

Additionally, the government said it proposes to establish autonomous boards under supervision of the apex commission, to fulfil the functions related to the conduct of under-graduate and post-graduate education, assessment and rating of medical institutions and registration of medical practitioners and enforcement of medical ethics.

In order to curb professional misconduct in medical services, the government has empowered the state level medical advisory councils to ensure compliance with the code of ethics, and responsible to take disciplinary action against medical practitioners, organizations or associations of doctors.

The new law proposes setting up of a Board of Medical Registration which will maintain an electronic National Register of all licensed medical practitioners in India so that homogeneity and interoperability of such database can be maintained.