India Issues Ethical Advertising Guidelines for Hospitals, Medical Institutions and Doctors
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India Issues Ethical Advertising Guidelines for Hospitals, Medical Institutions and Doctors
The National Medical Commission, through a Public Notice dated October 6, 2026, issued the Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners, with immediate effect. The Guidelines seek to prevent misleading medical claims, commercialisation of healthcare and improper solicitation of patients by Registered Medical Practitioners (“RMPs”) and hospitals.
The Guidelines permit specified factual and verifiable disclosures by hospitals concerning their facilities, services, accreditation and charges. However, they restrict patient solicitation, misleading or unsubstantiated claims, improper endorsements and testimonials, and promotional offers or inducements likely to encourage unnecessary consultations, investigations or treatment. RMPs are also prohibited from inducing fear to generate demand for medical procedures and from endorsing drugs, therapies or medical devices. Rankings and awards must be substantiated where claims are made.
The Guidelines address modern promotional practices, including social media, podcasts, influencer campaigns, search-engine promotions and AI-generated or AI-assisted content. They restrict misleading claims, endorsements and patient testimonials, promotional use of patient images, including before-and-after photographs, and discounts or other inducements likely to encourage unnecessary consultations, investigations or treatment. They also prohibit manipulation of online ratings, reviews, search rankings and digital engagement. Patient information and images remain subject to applicable privacy requirements, consent and safeguards, including anonymisation where required for scientific or educational purposes.
The Guidelines introduce graded disciplinary measures for RMP violations, ranging from warnings and ethics training to monetary penalties, suspension and removal from the medical register, depending on the nature and recurrence of the violation. Hospital-related enforcement is governed by applicable clinical-establishment laws and State Rules.
Healthcare providers should review their advertising, digital communications, patient-data practices and third-party marketing arrangements to ensure compliance.