National Medical Commission bans doctors & hospitals from using AI-generated

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The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now. Read Today's Paper National Medical Commission bans doctors & hospitals from using AI-generated patient testimonials, fake cure claims in medical adsET OnlineLast Updated: Oct 08, 2026, 06:03:00 PM ISTSynopsis

The National Medical Commission has implemented new ethical advertising guidelines affecting doctors and hospitals. These guidelines prohibit the use of artificial intelligence for generating promotional content or testimonials. Measures have also been taken to restrict paid patient solicitation and misleading claims in advertisements. Strict penalties have been established for non-compliance, including warnings and license suspensions.

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Loading...×Under new ethical advertising guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Tuesday and effective immediately, doctors and hospitals are strictly prohibited from using artificial intelligence to generate patient testimonials, fabricate clinical outcomes, or create promotional material. The regulation also bans healthcare providers from paying to manipulate search engine and app rankings.

Crackdown on AI content and unverified claims

The NMC has barred registered medical practitioners and hospitals from employing AI-generated content to advertise services, solicit patients, or disseminate unverifiable details concerning diagnoses, treatments, or patient results. Under the regulation, AI cannot be used to craft synthetic patient voices, testimonials, clinical outcomes, or fake endorsements, nor can it be used to misrepresent the quality or nature of medical services.

Furthermore, medical professionals are barred from paying to manipulate search rankings or making unverified superlative claims such as "best", "number one", "most trusted", "guaranteed cures" or "100% success".

Also read: Govt set to cap trade margins on more cancer drugs before SC hearing

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Crackdown on paid patient solicitation and commercial schemes

To protect patient interests, doctors are prohibited from entering financial arrangements with influencers, advertising agencies, or online platforms where payment is tied to procuring patients.

Additionally, hospitals and medical professionals cannot offer limited-period discounts, gift packages, coupons, or referral benefits that could incentivize unnecessary medical consultations. The guidelines also restrict using patient photographs without valid consent and safeguards, banning before-and-after imagery, patient testimonials, and treatment-success claims that risk creating unrealistic expectations or misleading the public.

However, the NMC clarified that doctors and hospitals remain permitted to use social media for non-promotional, objective, and factual health education.

Also read: Drug panel rejects child images on cough syrup labels, proposes age warning for use below 4 years

Escalating penalties for non-compliance

To ensure compliance, the NMC has outlined a progressive penalty framework for violations:

• First Violation: Formal warning and mandatory ethics training.
• Second Violation: Censure and monetary penalty.
• Third Violation: Suspension of license for three to six months.
• Serious Violations: Suspension of license for six to 12 months.
• Repeated Violations: Removal from the medical register for one to three years.

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