API appreciates code of ethics under NMC Act

Bathinda, August 16

The Association of Physicians of India (API), Malwa branch, has sent a appreciation letter to the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for the implementation of code of ethics for members of the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Chairman of API Dr Vitull K Gupta said the association was not in favor of the NMC because of several reasons, especially the promotion of unregulated medical education, but it appreciated the efforts of the minister in implementing the code of ethics.

The National Medical Commission Act will mandate all 33 members of the commission to declare their assets and liabilities both at the time of entering their office and at the time of demitting work. The law would also require the members to be prepared to give up any hope of employment in medical education sector for two years after demiting the office.

The chairman said the Health Ministry had asked chief secretaries of all states to nominate one Vice-chancellor each of a medical college or university for inclusion in the NMC advisory council and all state medical councils had also been asked to nominate one member each.

Gupta said he had written few suggestions to be incorporated into the NMC Act, without which code of ethics would be an exercise in futility. His suggestions included nomination of VCs from government medical universities and not from private medical universities. — TNS