The Kerala High Court has ruled that physiotherapists and occupational therapists cannot use the title " Dr ." This decision means they can only use this prefix if they hold a medical degree recognized under the Indian Medical Degrees Act .
The court stated that allowing the title "Dr." without proper medical credentials goes against the law and can mislead patients. It explained that using this title wrongly suggests these therapists have medical skills they do not truly possess. This confusion can put patients at risk.
Why This Decision Was Made
The case in court began after a petition highlighted a conflict. This conflict was between the existing Indian Medical Act 1916 and the practice in some states where therapists were allowed to use "Dr." The court noted that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had once thought about letting physiotherapists use this title in their curriculum. However, the Ministry later withdrew this idea because of strong opposition from medical groups.
The Kerala High Court’s ruling is similar to an earlier order from the Supreme Court in 2019 . That Supreme Court order had also stopped people who are not medical doctors, including physiotherapists, from using the "Dr." title. This applied unless they were registered under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 , or the newer National Medical Commission Act, 2019 .
The High Court carefully looked at the difference between the 1916 Act and the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Act . It concluded that allowing therapists to use "Dr." suggests medical abilities they do not have. This, the court said, creates a risk for patients who might not understand the difference between a medical doctor and a therapist.
Because of this, the court has ordered government officials to immediately stop the practice of therapists using the "Dr." title. It also instructed them to remove this title from all official records related to these therapists.
Doctors' Associations Welcome the Ruling
Medical associations across India have welcomed the High Court's decision. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the ALL FMGs Association (AFA) called it a significant judgment. FAIMA shared this news on X (formerly Twitter) on November 5 , stating, "Now Physiotherapist & Occupational Health Therapists cannot use 'Dr' Prefix! Only Qualified Healthcare Professional can use!" This post, which included images of the court order, quickly gained over 2,000 likes and 500 retweets by the next day.
The ruling has sparked wide discussions about healthcare titles and patient safety in India. An earlier issue arose in 2022 when the Maharashtra Medical Council allowed physiotherapists to add "Dr." after completing certain courses. This move caused strong disagreement among medical professionals. FAIMA had protested this decision and met with the Director General of Health Services on September 19 to push for it to be reversed.
AFA's post on X also confirmed the court's stand. They said that only qualified healthcare professionals should use the ‘Dr’ prefix. This underlines the court's view that while therapists are vital members of the healthcare team, they must operate within their defined professional boundaries.
