Thiruvananthapuram: Doctor in soup over ads on ‘cancer-curing’ oral drops

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In its first action against doctors who promote unscientific and magical remedies for various diseases, the Travancore Cochin Medical Council has suspended the registration of an Ayurveda doctor for one month.
The suspension has been given to Dr K Siddharthan of Ezhukone, Kollam, who has been advertising about alleged remedies for various ailments, including cancer, through his “thulli marunnu” (oral drops).
Travancore Cochin Medical Council’s registrar Dr A Mohammed Hussain said in his order that the advertisements issued by the doctor are against the Drugs and Magic Remedies (objectionable advertisement) Act. This was informed to the council by the state drugs controller. The council had probed the issue and it has been found that the doctor has violated the code of ethics of a registered medical practitioner.
The registrar said this order will be an eye opener for those violating the code of professional ethics of registered medical practitioners. The doctor who had appeared before the council had offered an apology and urged the council not to suspend his registration. However, the council observed that despite the notices issued by the state drugs control department against the doctor’s advertisements, he continued publishing them.
This doctor has been advertising about his “tullimarunnu chikilsa” (oral drops treatment) claiming remedy for diabetes, cancer, obesity, asthma, ulcer, thyroid and various other diseases. The complaint was filed before the Travancore Cochin Medical Council against him by Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad claiming that the treatment offered by this doctor was not scientifically proven.
The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad has been involved in a campaign against those who are offering such magical remedies and claim miracle healing through unscientific treatment methods. We have approached the state drugs control department and medical council with a dozen complaints like this, said Anil Kumar, coordinator of the campaign of the parishad.