NMC Ethical Advertising Guidelines 2026: What Healthcare Marketing Agencies Need to Know

Introduction

Healthcare marketing in India is about more than good rankings, attractive creatives and a steady flow of enquiries. When you market doctors, clinics and hospitals, every public message matters. Details about qualifications, treatments, results and patient experiences can shape important health decisions. On 6 October 2026, the National Medical Commission (NMC) released the Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners. The guidelines were issued through the NMC’s Ethics and Medical Registration Board and came into effect immediately. They explain how registered medical practitioners (RMPs) and medical institutions can communicate with the public, covering advertising, promotional content, patient privacy, testimonials, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital communication.

For healthcare marketing agencies, the key question is simple: How do we help doctors and hospitals stay visible online without misleading claims or prohibited promotion? The answer starts with understanding the guidelines and building the right checks into everyday marketing work.

1. Why healthcare marketing agencies need to understand the NMC guidelines

A healthcare marketing agency may manage a clinic’s website, Google Business Profile (GBP), social media, blogs, online ads and reputation management. Each channel carries its own risks.

A website might contain an exaggerated treatment claim. A social media post might use a patient’s clinical photos for promotion. An ad might suggest that one doctor is better than every other doctor. Even a well designed campaign can cause problems if its claims or purpose are not appropriate.

Most importantly, using an agency does not move the responsibility away from the doctor or hospital. The guidelines say that publishing through an advertising agency, influencer, digital platform or other intermediary does not free a doctor or hospital from responsibility for content they approved, commissioned or knowingly allowed. They also say a third party cannot be used to do indirectly what the doctor or hospital is not allowed to do directly. So everything an agency creates for a client must follow the same rules.

One clause also says a doctor shall not engage any third party for marketing medical services, while another clause sets rules on how marketing agencies may be engaged and paid. Until the NMC clarifies how these two fit together, doctors and agencies should keep their work strictly factual and educational, and take legal advice on their working arrangement.

The guidelines aim to protect patients, maintain the dignity of the medical profession, prevent misleading medical claims and discourage the commercialisation of healthcare. Breaking them can lead to warnings, penalties, suspension of registration and even removal from the medical register. Medical content should never be treated like ordinary retail advertising.

2. What can doctors and hospitals communicate publicly?

The guidelines draw a clear line between factual communication and promotion that solicits patients or makes misleading claims.

Hospitals and medical institutions can share factual, objective and verifiable information such as:

The institution’s name, location and contact details.
Departments, facilities, equipment and available services.
Emergency services and accreditation status.
Charges and other institutional information permitted by law.

A hospital website can also have a directory of its doctors showing their names, recognised qualifications, specialities, registration details and availability. The guidelines treat this kind of directory as patient information, not as a promotional advertisement.

All of this must stay factual. Any mention of charges, packages or fees should be clear and not misleading, and the information should not be turned into a push for unnecessary treatment.

What this means for website content

Think about a hospital website describing its emergency department. A factual description of the department, its services, timings and contact details is very different from a claim that the hospital offers the “best emergency treatment in the city”.

The first shares information. The second is a superiority claim. Hospital communication should not contain comparative superiority claims, and doctors cannot use phrases like “best doctor”, “No. 1 specialist”, “100% success”, “painless treatment”, “miracle treatment” or “guaranteed cure”. Words like “leading”, “top” or “most trusted” are also not allowed unless the claim can be objectively and independently verified.

Agencies should check service pages, doctor profiles and landing pages for accuracy before publishing. Qualifications, registrations, facilities and services should always be confirmed with the client, never guessed or made up by a content writer.

3. Doctor websites and SEO: focus on accuracy, not exaggerated claims

Search engine optimisation helps patients find useful information about healthcare providers. The challenge is to build visibility without making promises you cannot support or turning educational content into promotion.

Doctor profile pages: Confirm the doctor’s name, qualifications, speciality, registration details and professional information using records provided by the client.
Treatment pages: Explain what a treatment is, when it may be considered, its risks and what patients should discuss with their doctor. Do not guarantee results, hide risks or make unsupported claims about how well a treatment works.
Blog content: Focus on accurate health education. Answer the reader’s question instead of creating fear, urgency or pushing unnecessary consultations.
Headings and metadata: Use search terms naturally. Do not add phrases like “No. 1 surgeon”, “best hospital”, “leading clinic” or “100% successful treatment” just because they look good for SEO.
Internal links: Guide readers to related educational content and factual service information without misleading them.

Keyword rankings are a marketing number, not proof of clinical quality. A page can rank well and still contain claims that break the rules, so medical accuracy checks should be done separately from SEO checks.

Explore our healthcare SEO services to learn more about search optimisation for healthcare.

4. Google Business Profile: factual information and careful updates

GBP is one of the main ways patients find clinics and hospitals. Agencies usually manage contact details, categories, services, opening hours, photos, posts and review replies.

The guidelines do not have a separate rule for every GBP feature. Instead, the general rules on truthful communication, privacy and misleading promotion apply to everything you publish there.

Business information: Keep the name, address, phone number, hours and services
Descriptions: Avoid superiority claims, misleading treatment promises and made up
Posts: Share factual service updates and public health education rather than promotional offers.
Photographs: Check whether a photo shows identifiable patients or clinical details, and whether that use is allowed.
Reviews: Never buy reviews, create fake patient experiences or manipulate ratings, followers or The guidelines also say healthcare platforms must not offer paid rankings of doctors.
Responses: Never reveal that someone is a patient, or share their diagnosis or treatment, when replying to a review.

For example, a reply to a negative review should never share private medical details to defend the clinic. A short, polite reply that invites the person to contact the clinic directly is the safer approach.

Learn more about our Google Business Profile management services.

5. Patient testimonials, reviews and before and after photographs

Patient stories can be persuasive because they show real experiences. But using a patient’s experience to promote a doctor or hospital raises ethical and privacy concerns.

The guidelines say doctors should not publish cases for promotion, advertise surgical results, display before and after photos, publicise celebrity patients or promote personal success stories, unless this is strictly for scientific or educational purposes with anonymised patient consent. Patient consent alone does not make an otherwise prohibited testimonial, success story or before and after post acceptable.

Even where sharing is allowed, names, faces, birthmarks and other identifying details should be removed, cropped or blurred so the patient cannot be identified.

What agencies should check

Does the planned use follow the restrictions in the guidelines?
Does the material reveal identifiable health information?
Is there proper consent, recorded in line with privacy and data protection law?
Could the content create unrealistic expectations about results?
Is the material being used for genuine scientific or educational purposes, or for promotion?

If the content involves patient testimonials, clinical photos or treatment results, get a proper compliance review before publishing.

What about ordinary Google reviews?

A genuine review that a patient posts on their own is different from a testimonial created by an agency. Still, agencies must not manipulate reviews, invent experiences or turn patient feedback into promotional material.

Be careful with review drives and review posts. The guidelines say a doctor should not request or share patient testimonials, recommendations or reviews for professional promotion on social media. So posting review screenshots as promotional content should stop, and any review request campaign should be checked carefully.

A good review management process puts authenticity, privacy and respectful replies ahead of simply pushing up the star rating.

Learn more about our online reputation management services for doctors and hospitals.

6. AI-generated content: what healthcare marketers should know

AI tools can help marketing teams research topics, organise content, draft outlines and improve readability. But healthcare content needs much closer checking than general marketing copy.

The NMC treats AI-generated or AI-assisted promotional communication as advertising. AI-generated promotional campaigns for commercial interest are prohibited. Where AI-generated content is otherwise allowed under the guidelines, it must carry a clear mark stating that the content was made by AI.

AI must also not be used to create or alter a patient’s image, testimonial, voice or clinical result, or to create a fake endorsement from a patient, doctor or anyone else. Any use of patient information in AI tools must follow privacy, confidentiality and data protection rules.

This does not mean every use of AI is banned. Using AI to help structure a general educational article is not the same as running an AI promotional campaign. What matters is the activity, its purpose and the actual content.

Practical safeguards for AI-assisted work

Do not create fictional patient testimonials, AI patient images or made up clinical
Do not invent a doctor’s qualifications, experience or success
Clearly label AI-generated content as AI-generated where it is
Do not upload identifiable patient records, photos or private clinical details into AI tools without proper legal basis and safeguards.
Have qualified people check every medical claim before
Keep a record of source material and approvals for sensitive

The key principle: review how AI is being used, not just which tool is being used.

For more practical guides, read our healthcare marketing blog.

7. Paid advertising, offers and misleading claims

Paid ads need careful review because they reach large audiences and push people to act quickly.

The guidelines list several practices that need close attention, including:

Claims of superiority or professional success, such as “best doctor”, “No. 1 specialist” or “100% success”.
Unverifiable or exaggerated claims about medical services or results, including “guaranteed” outcomes.
Fear-based marketing, or ads that create unnecessary demand for procedures or
Discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits, free procedures and similar offers that may encourage unnecessary consultations, tests or treatment.
Commissions, referral fees or lead-generation fees connected with getting
Manipulation of reviews, followers, rankings, visibility or search

Factual communication is still allowed. The line is drawn at content that misleads or solicits patients.

How an agency should review a campaign

The claim: Can every fact be proven? Does the creative suggest guaranteed results or superiority?
The offer: Could the offer encourage unnecessary consultations, tests or treatment? Any fees or packages shown should be factual and clear.
The visuals: The guidelines do not allow a doctor’s photo to be used for self advertisement or promotional Check how doctor photos, patient images and clinical results appear in the creative.
The landing page: Does it make claims that are not in the ad, or raise new compliance concerns?
The targeting: Is patient information used properly, and is the campaign free of misleading messages?
The commercial arrangement: The guidelines say agency payments must not be linked to the procurement or referral of individual Fee models such as pay per patient or pay per lead need careful legal review.

An ad approved by Google or Meta is not automatically compliant with medical advertising rules. Platform policies and medical ethics rules are two separate things.

Learn about our Google Ads services and review every campaign before it goes live.

8. Social media and public health education

Social media is a good place to explain health conditions, share preventive health tips and post factual updates about a clinic or hospital. The guidelines support public health education while keeping it separate from commercial solicitation.

Doctors can take part in health awareness programmes, public health campaigns, academic discussions and educational content, as long as these do not promote their personal practice, do not solicit patients and are not monetised through promotional marketing.

Doctors can also give public health talks on TV, radio and online in their own name, without promoting their employer.

Doctors can also post factual announcements about starting a practice, a change of address or type of practice, a temporary absence or their consultation fees, and share greetings on days of national importance, as long as these do not advertise.

Every post needs proper doctor details. When a doctor publishes on social media or other electronic media, the post should clearly show their name, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR registration number. Posts by hospitals and clinics should show the same details for the doctors named in them.

The purpose of a post matters as much as its wording. An educational post explaining common symptoms of a condition is very different from a post that uses fear to push readers into booking a specific treatment. Fear-based marketing is specifically prohibited.

Before publishing a post, ask:

Is the information accurate and from a reliable source?
Does the post educate the public, or does it solicit patients?
Does it contain unverified treatment claims?
Does it expose any patient information?
Does it show the doctor’s name, qualifications and registration number?
Does it use the doctor’s photo or professional identity for self promotion?

Explore our social media marketing services for a structured approach to healthcare communication.

9. A healthcare marketing compliance checklist for agencies

Compliance works best when it is part of the agency’s regular workflow, not something added only when a client raises a concern. Use this checklist before publishing any healthcare content.

Client information: Confirm doctor qualifications, registrations, specialities and institution details.
Doctor details on posts: Show the doctor’s name, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR registration number.
Medical claims: Check treatment claims, statistics, success rates, risks and
Website and SEO: Review service pages, blog posts, headings, metadata and landing
GBP and reviews: Check profile accuracy, posts, review authenticity and privacy safe
Patient information: Review photos, testimonials, clinical stories, consent and
Doctor photographs: Make sure doctor photos are not used for self advertisement or
AI-generated material: Check the purpose, privacy risks and AI
Paid campaigns: Review creative claims, offers, landing pages and how the agency is
Final approval: Record the review, the client’s approval and any professional or legal advice taken.

This checklist is an internal quality control process. It does not replace legal advice or guarantee compliance.

10. What healthcare providers should expect from a marketing agency

Doctors and hospitals need more than an agency that publishes quickly or improves rankings. They need a team that takes accuracy, privacy and professional responsibility seriously. A good agency should:

Check important information before publishing
Flag questionable claims instead of simply accepting client
Review content across websites, search listings, social media and paid
Handle patient information with
Understand the limits of AI-generated
Keep a documented approval process for sensitive
Get qualified legal or regulatory advice when a rule is

These practices help healthcare providers build a more disciplined marketing process and steady, long term online visibility.

At DigiScrub, we work only with doctors, clinics and hospitals, so we build these checks into our everyday content and campaign work. Every agency should also describe its own services honestly. The guidelines do not create any NMC certification for marketing agencies, so no agency should claim to be certified, approved or endorsed by the NMC.

Conclusion: Ethical healthcare marketing starts with responsible decisions

The NMC guidelines ask healthcare marketers to look beyond rankings, engagement and enquiries. The claims a campaign makes, the patient information it uses and the way it presents medical services all need careful thought.

For doctors, clinics and hospitals, a good first step is to review existing websites, Google Business Profiles, social media content, testimonials, AI-assisted work and paid campaigns against the guidelines.

For agencies, the opportunity is to make that review part of everyday work: check information, avoid misleading claims, protect privacy and get expert advice when needed.

Good healthcare marketing helps people find reliable information without compromising the ethical responsibilities of the medical profession.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does NMC stand for?

In Indian healthcare, NMC stands for the National Medical Commission. It is the national body that regulates medical education and medical practice in India.

Please note that the UK also has an NMC, the Nursing and Midwifery Council. If you see “The NMC Code 2018”, that is the UK code for nurses and midwives. It is not connected to India’s National Medical Commission or its advertising guidelines.

What are NMC guidelines?

The National Medical Commission was set up under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and replaced the Medical Council of India. It issues guidelines and regulations on medical education, doctor registration and professional conduct. The guidelines on ethical

advertising and public communication set the rules on how doctors and hospitals can advertise and communicate with the public. For hospitals, they are read together with the applicable Clinical Establishments Act or state law.

What are the new NMC guidelines for 2026?

On 6 October 2026, the NMC released the Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners. They came into effect immediately.

The guidelines allow factual information and public health education. They restrict misleading or unverifiable claims, “guaranteed” results, superiority claims like “best doctor”, fear-based marketing, promotional use of patient testimonials and before and after photos, fake or paid reviews, paid rankings, offers that encourage unnecessary treatment, doctors using their own photos for self advertisement and AI-generated promotional campaigns. They also require doctors’ posts to show their qualifications and registration number, and allowed AI-generated content to be clearly labelled as AI.

Do the NMC guidelines apply to healthcare marketing agencies?

Not directly. The guidelines apply to doctors and hospitals. But using an agency does not remove their responsibility, a third party cannot be used to do what the doctor or hospital is not allowed to do, and agency payments must not be linked to getting or referring individual patients. So agencies should follow the same rules in everything they create for clients.

What is the penalty for breaking the NMC advertising guidelines?

For doctors, the State Medical Council can take graded action: a warning and mandatory ethics training for a first violation, censure and a monetary penalty for a second, and suspension of registration for 3 to 6 months for a third. Serious violations, such as misleading cure claims, inducements to patients or digital mass solicitation, can lead to suspension for 6 to 12 months. Repeated violations can lead to removal from the medical register for 1 to 3 years. Hospitals are dealt with under the applicable Clinical Establishments Act or state law.

What are the 7 P’s of marketing in the healthcare industry?

The 7 P’s are Product (the medical service), Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical evidence. Under the new NMC guidelines, Promotion and Price need extra care. Promotional content must stay factual, and discounts, coupons or offers that may encourage unnecessary consultations, tests or treatment should be avoided. Physical evidence, such as photos, reviews and website content, must also be accurate and respect patient privacy.

Source

National Medical Commission, Ethics and Medical Registration Board, Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners, Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, dated 6 October 2026.

Available on the official NMC website (nmc.org.in).

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. For questions about a specific campaign or claim, please speak to a qualified legal professional.