Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has upheld a significant ruling, reinforcing that only registered medical practitioners with a post-graduate qualification in pathology (MD in Pathology) can counter-sign medical laboratory reports. The ruling comes in response to a plea by the Practicing Pathologists Society, which sought directions to ensure that non-MBBS practitioners were not allowed to sign laboratory reports.
In its order, the court referred to a previous Supreme Court decision, which had clearly stated that “laboratory reports can be counter-signed only by a registered medical practitioner with a post-graduate qualification in pathology.” The bench, led by Justice Avneesh Jhingan, disposed of the petition, stating that, based on the Supreme Court’s ruling, the issues raised in the plea no longer existed.
The plea had been filed in 2017, addressing concerns about the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) allowing non-MBBS practitioners to be authorized as signatories for medical laboratory reports. The petitioners contended that this practice violated the norms established by the Medical Council of India (MCI), which stipulate that only MCI-registered practitioners are allowed to sign such reports.
Key Details from the Petition
The Practicing Pathologists Society challenged the NABL’s guidelines issued in 2012 and 2016, which allowed non-MBBS persons, such as technicians and other professionals, to sign clinical laboratory reports. The society argued that this practice was not in line with the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956 and posed a risk to public health, as non-MBBS professionals lacked the required qualifications in modern medicine to assess medical reports properly.
In response, the MCI had issued a decision on June 14, 2017, stating that only registered medical practitioners with qualifications recognized by the MCI/State Medical Council should sign or authenticate medical certificates, including lab reports. Despite this ruling, NABL had continued to follow its earlier criteria, leading the society to file the petition.
The petition emphasized that allowing non-MBBS professionals to sign medical reports could lead to “quackery,” endangering public health. It cited provisions from the Indian Medical Council Act, which explicitly restricts non-registered individuals from signing medical certificates or reports.
Court’s Decision
The Rajasthan High Court noted that the Supreme Court had already settled the matter in December 2017, affirming that only post-graduate qualified medical practitioners in pathology could counter-sign lab reports. Given this, the High Court disposed of the petition, but allowed the petitioners to seek further legal recourse if there was non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s order.
The court’s decision reinforces the need for strict adherence to medical qualifications when it comes to signing medical laboratory reports, ensuring the integrity of medical practices and safeguarding public health.
