Commentary: The times have changed: Are we listening?

In came the “Consumer Protection Act” 1986, which was made applicable to interactions between the medical professional (the service provider) and the patient (the service “taker,” “client”!) in 1993. [...]this is true—not just for the paid services but also for the charitable service you did in good faith—as a good samaritan!! But does the doctor still live in the illusion of practicing a “noble profession?” This and many more questions particularly those that concern ophthalmologists have been raised and dealt with in this remarkable write-up. The authors point to the huge compensations awarded in cases pertaining to loss of vision following surgery and argue that it is now essential to factor in the legal costs and compensations into the cost of surgeries performed. [2] The new act increases the limit of compensation that a district consumer disputes redressal commission (CDRC) can grant from Rs. 20 lakhs to 1 crore.