National Medical Commission is no cure-all, many important questions remain

The excessive reliance on a battery of diagnostic tests is reflective of both commercial considerations as well as weak knowledge. Students spending lakhs to become doctors resort to unethical practices to recoup their investment and pollute the system.

There are six reasons why governments would like to regulate medical education. One, to ensure that doctors are appropriately trained and skilled to address the prevailing disease burden; two, to ensure that medical graduates reflect a uniform standard of competence and skills; three, to ensure that only those with basic knowledge of science and aptitude for the profession get in; four, to ensure ethical practice in the interest of the patients; five, to create an environment that enables innovation and research; and six, to check the corrosive impact of the process of commercialisation on values and corrupt practices. The question is whether the National Medical Commission Bill passed by Rajya Sabha on Thursday addresses these concerns.