According to MMC, the show cause notice stating that they have to personally present council office to explain their side before taking necessary action against them.
After dna brought to light how pathologists have been flouting norms and signing pathology test reports, Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has issued show-cause notices to pathologists from Thane, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Baramati and Sangli.
According to MMC, the show cause notice stating that they have to personally present council office to explain their side before taking necessary action against them.
This move came after Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists (MAPPM) launched massive sensitisation campaign across the state. All qualified pathologists are collecting reports from illegal laboratories signed by technicians and registering complaints to the MMC.
The MMC — governing body of the state — has the power to suspend the doctor's licence if found guilty. They maintain doctor registrations and without their registration no allopath can practice in the state.
According to MAPPM, there are more than 15,000 pathology laboratories across the state, of which 1,600 operate outside Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.
"We received a complaint from MAPPM against a pathologist, who allowed the technician to use his signature for signing the reports. So, we have sought explanation from him on this matter and for the same we issued a notice. He is expected to reply within seven days. If the doctor fails to file the reply, then we can initiate action as per section 22 of the MMC, 1965," said Dr Shivkumar Utture, executive member of MMC.
Recently, to formulate a joint action plan for tackling the means of illegal pathology laboratories, MAPPM — an umbrella body of qualified pathologists — is organising a huge gathering of pathologists in Mumbai. Mushrooming of pathology labs has become a cause of concern, they pointed out.
"We found that many qualified pathologists were allowing laboratories to use their name and manual or electronic signature for money. The doctors had never even visited the laboratories. Anyone can open a pathology laboratory as all they need is a shop, establishment license from the municipal corporation and show that they have a pathologist on the payroll. But in reality there are no full-time or part-time qualified pathologists working in such labs. The lab technicians use the electronic signature to prepare the reports. For this, the laboratory pays money to the pathologist," said Dr Sandeep Yadav, president of MAPPM.
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