Pakistan physical therapy association has recorded strong protest against the letter

written by PMDC to secretary health Blouchistan in which PMDC has requested the
health department to ban pharmacists and physiotherapists to use the prefix Dr/
Doctor. In an emergency meeting called by Pakistan physical therapy association all
officials were united in their stance that we will not compromise on our professional
dignity and prestige. The Association also took a principle stance to serve legal
notice to PMDC for defamation and demoralizing sentiments of the physiotherapy
community. PMDC is the regulatory body that regulates MBBS doctors and Dental
surgeons having not even some remote link with physiotherapy or pharmacy. This is
not the first time PMDC has used such foul tactics, in the past PMDC has published
ads in the newspapers highlighting the same issue. PMDC has not only failed to stop
quackery at national level but has been involved in allowing substandard medical
colleges to open in the country while getting huge financial benefits from such
colleges. It has been quite common recently that PMDC officials are involved in
massive corruption and are arrested for taking bribes. PMDC has been issuing
licenses to matric pass people for bribes, the incompetent foreign graduates from
Afghanistan and China have also been getting their licenses through paying huge
amount of bribes to PMDC officials. PMDC allows the medical graduates to perform
complex operations including orthopedics surgeries and C-section which is nothing
but promoting liensed murderers.
In response to the PMDC ads Pakistan Pharmacy Council has issued a response on
31st March 2015 and Punjab Pharmacy Council on 17 November 2014 have notified
clear instructions that student holding Pharm D are entitled to write Doctor with
their name. Pakistan Pharmacy council has notified all universities offering Pharm D
should issue degrees to graduates with prefix Dr with their name. In spite of these
notifications by Pakistan Pharmacy Council and Punjab Pharmacy Council PMDC
letter to Blouchistan Health Department shows clear sign of their incompetency.
Physiotherapy is a modern treatment technique growing exponentially in developed
countries and now physiotherapy as a field is also expanding in Pakistan and as a
result in 2010 in collaboration with HEC DPT was launched in all private and
government universities in Pakistan. This degree is offered by the most prestigious
universities of Pakistan including King Edward Medical University, University of
Health Sciences, Khyber Medical University and JPMC Karachi. The rapid acceptance
and appreciation of Doctor of Physical Therapy was seen as a threat by PMDC and
by using such foul tactics PMDC is not only being ashamed in front of Medical and
Dental community but also getting negative remarks from the general public and
patients benefiting from physiotherapy.
Pakistan Physical Therapy Association officials are united on the notion that every
professional holding a 5 year degree including Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pharm D
and Doctor of Nutrition are entitled to write prefix doctor with their name. PPTA
officials believe that physiotherapy community and students dont need to panic as
their degree includes the term Doctor in the degree while BDS is bachelor of Dental

surgery and Same goes for MBBS which is Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of
Surgery and they both use the prefix Doctor.