New Medical Commission rules ban guaranteed cure claims and set strict limits on doctor ads

The National Medical Commission issued new guidelines on October 6 to regulate advertising and public communication by doctors and hospitals, aiming to prevent the commercialisation of healthcare.

Rules and Penalties

The rules bar claims of guaranteed cures, 100 percent success, or being the best, alongside fake reviews, manipulated online rankings, and misleading celebrity endorsements. Hospitals may still publish factual details of services, charges, accreditation, and credentials. However, the guidelines restrict advertising professional achievements and success rates, and ban promotional before-and-after surgical photographs. Violators face graded penalties starting with a warning and mandatory ethics training, moving to a six to twelve-month suspension, and up to three years of removal from the register for repeated offences. State Medical Councils will enforce these provisions, with appeals handled by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board.

Context

Medical advertising regulations balance the need to protect patients from misleading claims with the commercial rights of healthcare providers under the law. Similar regulatory frameworks exist across various professional sectors to maintain ethical standards and ensure transparent public communication.