DGHS withdraws directive on 'Dr' prefix for Physiotherapists

The director general of health services (DGHS) has issued a directive to the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) stating physiotherapists are not entitled to use the prefix "Dr" and that it is reserved only for registered medical practitioners. The issue arises from the competency-based curriculum published by NCAHP for physiotherapy under the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW).

In a letter to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dilip Bhanushali, DGHS Sunita Sharma said the directorate has received several representations and objections from various organisations, including the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR), regarding the use of the prefix "Dr" and suffix "PT" by physiotherapists.

Highlighting the points of concern, Sharma said in the letter that physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and, therefore, should not use the prefix "Dr" as it misleads patients and the general public, potentially leading to quackery.

"Physiotherapists should not be permitted to practice primary care and should only treat referred patients as they are not trained to diagnose medical conditions, some of which may worsen with inappropriate physiotherapy intervention," the official statement said.

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Recommendation goes against decisions of courts

Sharma also said that this recommendation goes against the decisions made by different courts and the guidelines given by medical councils in the country. She also cited some of the important rulings, including a 2003 judgment of the Patna High Court that held that unless physiotherapists are enrolled in the State Medical Register, they cannot practise modern medicine or use the prefix "Dr".

• A Tamil Nadu Medical Council Advisory (of 2016) has previously warned physiotherapists against using the prefix "Dr", terming them paramedics or technicians.
• A Bengaluru court ruling of 2020 prohibited physiotherapists or occupational therapists from using the prefix "Dr" and emphasised that they must work under physician supervision.
• The Madras High Court (2022) upheld the prohibition on physiotherapists using the prefix "Dr", reiterating that they are not recognised as "doctors" under the IMC Act.
• It is pertinent to mention that the Ethics Committee of the Council (Paramedical and Physiotherapy Central Council) Bill, 2007 had earlier decided that the title "Doctor" (Dr) may only be used by registered practitioners of Modern Medicine, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, and Unani. No other category of medical professionals, including nursing and paramedical staff, is allowed to use the title, the letter said.

"It is hereby directed that the usage of the prefix 'Dr' for physiotherapists in the Competency Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy Approved Syllabus 2025 be removed forthwith. A more appropriate and respectful title may be considered for graduates and postgraduates of physiotherapy, without causing ambiguity to patients or the public," it added.

With inputs from PTI