In a departure from the earlier stand that a person with MBBS or MD pathology, biochemistry or microbiology is eligible to sign a laboratory report
The Medical Council of India‘s (MCI) Board of Governors has allowed professionals with an M.Sc in medical biochemistry, medical microbiology, or with Ph.D in biochemistry, microbiology, biotechnology and genetics to certify medical test reports without recording any medical opinion thereon.
The Board of Governors clarified that all test reports generated by such persons must necessarily bear a disclaimer to the effect that the reports are strictly for the use of medical practitioners and are not medical diagnosis as such.
Medical laboratory reports which contain medical diagnosis(s) and/or a medical opinion on the basis of the test results are to be signed by medically qualified professionals only having qualification duly registered as per Indian Medical Council Act, it said.
Also read: Let non-doctors sign lab reports: MCI
This decision to this effect was taken by the Board of Governors in super session of Medical Council of India on January 6, 2020.
The Board of Governors opined that persons possessing qualifications of M.Sc in medical microbiology, medical biochemistry and Ph.D in relevant subjects such as biochemistry, microbiology, biotechnology, and genetics etc, form qualified human resources in these fields who are equipped with the knowledge of performing the laboratory tests in their respective branches.
However, such persons not having qualifications in modern medicine, are as such are not equipped with knowledge of interpreting the laboratory reports for clinical diagnosis.
Therefore, while such persons are not competent to offer a medical opinion, at the same time they are not prohibited from conducting relevant tests and reporting the result of tests conducted by them.
Also read: Also read: Doc’s physical presence must to validate Lab reports: MCI
Thus they can sign the technical reports stating test results without recording any medical opinion thereon.
The Board of Governors has dashed a letter to secretary, Union ministry of health and family welfare stating its position that the persons possessing qualifications of M.Sc in medical biochemistry, microbiology are eligible to sign the laboratory test reports.
