NEW DELHI: First, physiotherapists were allowed to keep the title ‘Dr.’ Then came a U-turn by the Centre, which issued a directive to them not to use the prefix.
Now, in another flip-flop, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday withdrew its September 9 order, which stated that physiotherapists in the country cannot use the prefix ‘Dr’ as they are not medical doctors.
The latest move by the Centre surprised many, especially medical practitioners, who were celebrating the announcement, which came a day earlier, from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) that physiotherapists cannot use ‘Dr’ as a prefix in their names.
With the new order, physiotherapists can still call themselves ‘Dr’ as the matter remains under examination.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr Dilip Bhanushali, National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said, “The decision was reversed in just eight hours. This is a cruel joke.”
On what’s next for the IMA, which took up the issue with the ministry and the National Medical Commission (NMC), Dr Bhanushali said, “We will have to approach the court. We are left with no other choice. We will have to do it, despite the Tamil Nadu and Kerala High Courts already issuing orders that physiotherapists cannot use ‘Dr’ as a prefix in their names.”
In her September 10 letter, DGHS, Dr Sunita Sharma, referred to the DO letter dated September 9, 2025, regarding the use of the prefix ‘Dr’ and suffix ‘PT’ by physiotherapists in India.
“Therefore, representations have been received on this matter which require further examination and deliberations. Hence, the aforesaid DO letter may be treated as withdrawn as the matter requires further examination.”
Her letter was addressed to the Chairperson of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals (NCAHP), the IMA National President and others.
The issue snowballed into a major controversy after the NCAHP’s March 23 release of the Competency-based curriculum for physiotherapy 2025 suggested that physiotherapists can use the prefix “Dr” and suffix “PT.”