KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday held that qualified homeopathic physicians can prescribe and dispense preventive and prophylactic medicines for COVID-19.
Justice N Nagaresh issued the order while disposing of the petition filed by Dr Jayaprasad Karunakaran, Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram against the action of health officials. The court directed the state government to ensure that the petitioner is not obstructed in any manner from practising homeopathy as per the guidelines issued by the AYUSH Ministry and Supreme Court.
Karunakaran claimed that he treated and saved serious COVID-19 patients in foreign countries. However, when he attempted to treat COVID-19 patients at Thiruvananthapuram recently, he was informed by officials of the State Health Department that action will be taken against him under the Disaster Management Act.
P Vijayakumar, assistant solicitor general of India, submitted that the AYUSH Ministry has issued recommendations advising utilisation of homeopathy for preventive and prophylactic purposes, symptom management of COVID-19 like illnesses and add-on intervention to conventional care. There was no prohibition imposed by the Centre on homeopathy for the treatment of patients to the extent indicated in the recommendations.
The court observed that homeopathic physicians may provide add-on intervention to conventional care of COVID-19 patients and prescribe drugs. But the suggested medicine should be adjuvant to standard management guidelines in hospital settings with the approval of the authorities and willingness of the patients. However, the court held that advertisement by a homoeopathic physician is prohibited in view of Regulation 6 of the Homoeopathic Practitioners (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Code of Ethics) Regulations, 1982.
The court cited the AYUSH Ministry guidelines and Supreme Court rulings on symptom management and prevention of COVID-19 by homeopathic physicians.