By Nawabzada Shah Ali
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has raised serious concerns over the growing trend of unauthorized clinical practices by Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), warning that such activities are posing major risks to public health, including the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.
According to official sources, the PM&DC in a formal letter sent to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on April 21 called for immediate steps to stop what it described as encroachment on the professional domain of registered medical and dental practitioners.
The council stated that recent reports from Islamabad and MirpurKhas have revealed disturbing violations of professional boundaries and healthcare regulations. It pointed out that pharmacists were allegedly prescribing medicines, psychologists were performing duties of psychiatrists, while dental technologists were carrying out clinical dental procedures without lawful authority.
The PM&DC maintained that such practices reflect weak regulatory oversight and poor compliance with safety standards, creating conditions that may contribute to the spread of infectious diseases and endanger patients.
Referring to the PM&DC Act 2022, the council said it has exclusive legal jurisdiction over diagnosis, prescription and treatment. It noted that under Sections 36, 37 and 42 of the law, only qualified and registered practitioners are authorized to carry out clinical practice.
The council further stated that Section 39 of the Act makes it a punishable offence to use the title of “Doctor” without authorization or to practice medicine without valid registration.
At the same time, the PM&DC cited the Allied Health Professionals Council (AHPC) Act 2022, saying Section 4 of the law does not grant allied health professionals the authority to prescribe medicines or independently diagnose patients.
The PM&DC urged the AHPC to issue clear and immediate directions to all allied health professionals to refrain from activities beyond their legal scope of practice.
It clarified that independent diagnosis of patients, prescription of medicines or therapeutic interventions, and performance of medical or surgical procedures remain restricted functions reserved only for licensed PM&DC practitioners.
The council warned that any policy or notification allowing allied health professionals to perform such functions would be against the law and would weaken the national regulatory framework designed to ensure patient safety.