Without a proper legislation to keep a tab on practitioners and propagators of electrohomeopathy, a stream of medicine from Italy based on combinations of plant extracts, continues to flourish unchecked.

Running on a residential plot of land in west Delhi’s Janakpuri region is the office of NEHM (Naturo Electro Homeopathy Medicos) of India, an organisation which claims to have the sole authority to award qualifying degrees in the stream of electropathy.

Their right to run a centre and stamp bachelors and masters degrees in electropathy is by a high court order, says Narendra Kumar Awasthy, principal secretary of NEHM of India.

“After the May 5, 2010, order of the Allahabad high court, NEHM is the only place in India which has the authority to give these degrees,” said Awasthy. The court order (No. V. 25011/276/2009-HR) says, “In accordance with orders of high court and supreme court quoted here, there is no proposal to stop the petitioners from practicing in electropathy or imparting education, as long as this is done within the provisions of the order no. R. 14015/25/96-U and H (R) (Pt) dated 25th November 2003. Once the legislation to recognise new systems of medicine is enacted, any practice or education would be regulated in accordance with the said Act.”

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on November 16, minister of state for health S Gandhiselvan had submitted that electrohomeopathy is not a recognised system of medicine. There are no doctors with qualifications of electrohomoeopathy. “Representations have been received from various associations of electrohomeopathic practitioners for recognition of electrohomeopathy such as NEHM. of India, New Delhi, National Electro Homoeopathic Development Association of India, Aligarh (UP), Council of EHSM Research & Development Institute, Hyderabad, etc. No time frame can be fixed for recognising electrohomoeopathy as a system of medicine,” said the reply.

There are over 300 practicing electropaths in Delhi, confirms Awasthy. Over 65 colleges across India are affiliated to NEHM of India and they give degrees in that stream of medicine. He claims that not a single complaint has been registered against electropathy and there are no side effects of the medicines. NEHM even has its own nursery at Uttam Nagar in Delhi where they grow herbal plants used for making medicines. These medicines, mostly liquid, are available at NEHM of India office and their affiliated colleges, without any quality checks or authorised mark, of course. Every year over 1000 electropaths are floated in the country, adds Awasthy, who uses the prefix doctor. He adds that he has the authority by the government to promote electropathy. Meanwhile, in the above mentioned court order, the government of India had submitted that the standing committee of experts under the chairmanship of Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) “did not find electropathy to qualify as a system of medicine. Therefore, it cannot run full time bachelor and masters degree and those practicing it cannot use the term ‘doctor’."

It further adds, “NEHM, as per the documents submitted by them is conducting diploma and certificate courses, and not running fulltime bachelor or masters degrees.” Delhi Medical Council’s registrar, Dr Girish Tyagi, said, “There have been cases in the past where electropaths have been caught prescribing allopathic medicine.” Awasthy is hopeful that before 2013 electrohomeopathy will be a recognised stream of medicine in the country with its own curriculum, colleges and professionals and will be more effective than any of the modern day systems of treatment.