The Hippocratic Oath - a centuries-old code of ethics for medical practitioners worldwide - may be scrapped in India, in favour of the homegrown 'charak shapath', if reports of the result of a meeting of the National Medical Commission - which regulates medical education in the country - are true.
An as yet unverified document - minutes of a meeting regarding first year medical students, for whom classes begin Monday - says "no Hippocratic Oath. During white coat ceremony... the oath will be 'Maharishi Charak Shapath'...".
Students may also face "compulsory 10 days of yoga (in the) morning on (an) empty stomach".
It is unclear if these changes have already been effected and the government has yet to respond. NMC members, however, have been quoted by some publications as saying nothing has been decided.
Widely seen as establishing principles of medical ethics that remain valid to this day, such as confidentiality and non-maleficence - swearing the ancient Greek oath is more than symbolic in some jurisdictions, it is a legal requirement and violations can carry criminal liabilities.
The 'charak shapath', meanwhile, is attributed to Maharishi Charaka, who is seen as a major contributor to Ayurveda and the author of the medical treatise 'Charaka Samhita'.
The possibility of the Hippocratic Oath - one of the more iconic texts and symbols associated with doctors anywhere in the world - being replaced has triggered protests and accusations of the 'saffronisation' of medical education in India, as well as messages of support.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was in the former camp, asking why the two oaths could not co-exist.
"Many doctors are expressing concern. I am all in favour of introducing Indian elements into Indian education, but not at the expense of universal values and standards. Why can't the 'charak shapath' supplement, rather than supplant, the Hippocratic Oath that doctors worldwide take?"
The potential scrapping of the Hippocratic Oath also drew a sharp response from the Congress' Kerala unit, which called it an "...attempt to saffronise medical education as per the wishes of RSS. Hippocratic Oath that captures the universal ethics and values can't be changed."
Dr Shama Mohamed, a dentist by training and the Congress' national spokesperson, tweeted: "I took the Hippocratic Oath and ask all future doctors to take the same oath. Say 'no' to 'charak shapath'."
Dr Ambarish Mitthal, Chairman and Head of the Endocrinology and Diabetes units at Max Healthcare in Delhi's Saket, pointed out that an 'oath' is less important than a doctor's actions.
"Personally I don't really care what 'oath' doctors take. Rituals don't make one a better person or doctor. Doctors need to have patience, compassion, ethics... Join this profession only if you derive happiness from helping others," Dr Mitthal tweeted.
Twitter users whose handles also identify them as doctors spoke out as well.
"'Maharishi Charak Shapath' to replace age-old Hippocratic Oath and compulsory yoga is nothing but saffronisation of medicine. God save us from Sanghis..." one user wrote.
"NMC replacing Hippocratic Oath with 'charak shapath' is only a cover to hide the real agenda of destruction of modern medicine... by corrupting it with AYUSH and yoga, just as predicted by us in July 2019," another posted, blaming the opposition for allowing this to happen.
However, there were also messages of support.
"'Charak shapath' to replace Hippocratic Oath in medical practice? If yes... great news!" one said, while another thanked the NMC for "a step towards inculcating Indian values in medical students".
Another user wrote "Maharishi Charak Shapath isn't new. Many medical schools in India (at least In Gujarat) is using it for at least two decades now."
A group called MeDeVision Haryana, which claims to represent medical and dental students, said it welcomed the move, tweeting: "'Charak shapath' encompasses medical ethics that are rooted in Indian culture and traditions. It will definitely help to inculcate more values in future doctors."
