National Medical Commission issues ethical advertising guidelines for doctors

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released new guidelines to regulate advertising and digital communications for hospitals, medical institutions, and Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) in India. The directive, issued by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB), aims to ensure that healthcare-related communications are ethical, truthful, transparent, and evidence-based.

Key provisions of the guidelines include a ban on self-promotion, misleading reviews, testimonials, and celebrity endorsements. The regulations also establish rules for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare promotion. The move is intended to preserve the dignity of the medical profession, prevent the commercialization of healthcare, and protect patients from deceptive medical claims.

The guidelines were framed in response to a Writ Petition filed in the Supreme Court of India and align with existing medical conduct regulations. According to NMC Secretary Dr. Raghav Langer, the rules come into force with immediate effect and are designed to ensure ethical parity across all systems of medicine while promoting public health education and patient privacy.