Kerala High Court Bans 'Dr' Prefix for Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, FAIMA, AFA Hail Ruling

The HC in its order stated that allowing the title without proper medical credentials breaks the law and misleads patients.

The Kerala High Court has ruled that physiotherapists and occupational therapists cannot use "Dr" title unless they hold a medical degree recognized under the Indian Medical Degrees Act.

Doctors association have lauded the decision with the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the ALL FMGs Association (AFA) calling it Great Judgement by Kerala High Court. The ruling has triggered widespread discussions across India.

The case began with a petition highlighting a clash between the Indian Medical Act 1916 and some states allowing therapists to use "Dr." The court noted that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had floated this idea in its Competency Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy but withdrew it after strong opposition.

The HC in its order stated that allowing the title without proper medical credentials breaks the law and misleads patients.

This ruling echoes a 2019 Supreme Court order that stopped non-medical people, including physiotherapists, from using "Dr" unless registered under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, or the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. FAIMA celebrated the Kerala verdict, posting on X: "Great Judgement by #KeralaHighCourt. Now Physiotherapist & Occupational Health Therapists cannot use 'Dr' Prefix! Only Qualified Healthcare Professional can use!" The post, shared on November 5, included court order images and gained over 2,000 likes and 500 retweets by 10:29 AM today.

Trouble flared in 2022 when the Maharashtra Medical Council allowed physiotherapists to add "Dr" after certain courses. This sparked backlash, with FAIMA again quoting on X: "Great Judgement by #KeralaHighCourt. Now Physiotherapist & Occupational Health Therapists cannot use 'Dr' Prefix! Only Qualified Healthcare Professional can use!" They met the Director General of Health Services on September 19 to push for a reversal.

The Kerala High Court in its order pointed out a mismatch between the 1916 Act and the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Act. It ruled that "Dr" by therapists suggests medical skills they don’t have, posing risks to people. The court ordered officials to stop this practice immediately and remove the title from records.

AFA, in its X post stated: "The Kerala High Court has ruled that physiotherapists and occupational health therapists are no longer permitted to use the ‘Dr’ prefix. Only qualified healthcare professionals should use it." This echoed the court’s stance that therapists, while vital health workers, must stick to their role.