New restrictions to curb misleading medical ads
India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued fresh guidelines banning registered doctors and hospitals from using artificial intelligence (AI) to create or circulate misleading promotional content about medical services.
AI-made testimonials and exaggerated claims barred
The NMC said AI-generated patient experiences, treatment outcomes and recommendations—especially fake testimonials or visuals that exaggerate results—must not be used to attract patients or advertise services. The rules also prohibit publishing before-and-after images and promoting patient praise or treatment stories as advertisements.
Limits on paid rankings and influencer tie-ups
Doctors have been barred from paying to manipulate their ranking on search engines or apps. The guidelines also seek to curb the growing role of intermediaries in bringing patients, and prohibit paid contracts with social media influencers, advertising agencies or online platforms for patient acquisition.
Discounts, consent and penalties
Hospitals and doctors cannot offer time-bound discounts, gifts or coupons to patients. Patient photographs may be used only with proper consent and with safeguards to prevent misuse. The guidelines take effect immediately, with penalties ranging from warnings and mandatory ethics training to suspension for three to six months, and up to 6–12 months for serious violations; repeated breaches can lead to removal from the medical register for one to three years.
