<p>The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought response of the Centre and National Medical Commission on a plea challenging the rules which permit unregistered non-medical persons to sign medical diagnostic reports.</p>.<p>A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the Health Ministry and the commission seeking their stand on the petition by a doctor who has claimed that under the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Amendment Rules, 2020 persons with MSc or PhD degrees have been allowed to sign medical diagnostic reports.</p>.<p>Dr Rohit Jain, a practicing pathologist, has contended that every report requires application of mind by a qualified pathologist in the first instance. </p>.<p>"Medical reports not countersigned by a qualified pathologist may lead to misdiagnosis or late-diagnosis putting lives of public at large at serious risk. Such arbitrary distinctions will lead to quackery, corruption and may put the public at the risk of misdiagnosis or late-diagnosis which can be fatal," the petition, filed through advocate Mrinmoi Chatterjee, has said.</p>.<p>Jain has contended that amended rules are "illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional and ultra vires of the parent act itself" and has sought a declaration to that effect from the court.</p>.<p>He has also sought an order from the court directing that lab reports can be countersigned only by a registered medical practitioner with a post-graduate qualification in Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Laboratory Medicine. </p>
<p>The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought response of the Centre and National Medical Commission on a plea challenging the rules which permit unregistered non-medical persons to sign medical diagnostic reports.</p>.<p>A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the Health Ministry and the commission seeking their stand on the petition by a doctor who has claimed that under the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Amendment Rules, 2020 persons with MSc or PhD degrees have been allowed to sign medical diagnostic reports.</p>.<p>Dr Rohit Jain, a practicing pathologist, has contended that every report requires application of mind by a qualified pathologist in the first instance. </p>.<p>"Medical reports not countersigned by a qualified pathologist may lead to misdiagnosis or late-diagnosis putting lives of public at large at serious risk. Such arbitrary distinctions will lead to quackery, corruption and may put the public at the risk of misdiagnosis or late-diagnosis which can be fatal," the petition, filed through advocate Mrinmoi Chatterjee, has said.</p>.<p>Jain has contended that amended rules are "illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional and ultra vires of the parent act itself" and has sought a declaration to that effect from the court.</p>.<p>He has also sought an order from the court directing that lab reports can be countersigned only by a registered medical practitioner with a post-graduate qualification in Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Laboratory Medicine. </p>