Can doctors still post on Instagram under the new NMC rules?

Yes, for health education and public awareness, with your name, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR registration number on every post. What's not allowed is promotion: soliciting patients, testimonials, before-after photos, 'best' or 'No.1' claims, offers and paid engagement.

Can a doctor ask patients for Google reviews?

No. Explanation V of Clause 3.2 says no doctor or hospital shall solicit, purchase, procure or manipulate patient reviews, ratings or testimonials for the promotion of medical services, and that a doctor shall not request or share patient testimonials or reviews for professional promotion on social media.

Does written patient consent make a before-after photo or testimonial OK?

No. Clause 6.2 says patient consent does not, by itself, make a testimonial, promotional patient story, before-and-after depiction or success claim permissible. Patient material may only be used strictly for scientific or educational purposes, anonymised, with documented consent.

Can doctors use AI to make content?

AI-generated promotional campaigns for commercial interest are prohibited (Clause 7.2). Other AI content must not mislead, must not fake or alter a patient's or doctor's image, voice or testimonial, and must carry a mark stating that it is AI-generated.

What is the penalty for breaking the NMC advertising guidelines?

The State Medical Council may act in steps: a warning and ethics training for a first violation, censure and a monetary penalty for a second, suspension for 3–6 months for a third, 6–12 months for a serious violation, and removal from the register for 1–3 years for repeated violations. A show-cause notice comes first, and you can appeal to NMC within 60 days.

When do the new NMC advertising rules apply from?

Immediately. The public notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics is dated 6 October 2026 and says the guidelines come into force with immediate effect.

NMC's new advertising & social media rules for doctors, explained

The whole notice in one minute

Who it covers	Every registered medical practitioner (RMP), hospitals and clinics, healthcare platforms, and anyone posting for them — agencies and influencers included.
What is an “ad”	Any post that promotes your services, skills, reputation or facilities, or solicits patients — in any medium.
What's banned	Testimonials, before-after, “best / No.1 / guaranteed”, offers and freebies, fake engagement, AI promo campaigns, per-patient commissions.
What's allowed	Health education, public talks, factual announcements (clinic opening, address, fees), journal case studies, government campaigns.
Patient privacy	No identifiable patient data. Consent does not make a testimonial or before-after OK.
AI	No AI promotional campaigns. Allowed AI content must say it's AI-generated.
Penalties	Warning → penalty → suspension → removal from the register for up to 3 years.
Due process	Show-cause notice first. Appeal to NMC within 60 days, then a second appeal.

Every post must show

Your name, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR registration number.

NMC text · Clause 3.2 · Explanation III · notice p.4

RMP while publishing any Electronic media posts should transparently disclose their name, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR Registration number.

Hospitals and clinics have the same duty for the doctors they feature: their names, qualifications, registration status and SMR/NMR number (Explanation IV).

Is my post an “advertisement”?

Ask one question: does the post promote your services, skills, qualifications, achievements, reputation or facilities — or solicit patients, directly or indirectly?

Yes → it is an advertisement, whatever the format: Reels, WhatsApp, YouTube, podcasts, influencer posts, Google ads, sponsored posts, AI content. It must follow every rule below — run the 7-check test.
No, it's general information for the public without promotion or commercial intent → not treated as an advertisement. Still show your name, qualification and Reg. No.

NMC text · Clause 3.2 · notice p.4

For the purposes of these Guidelines, digital, social-media, sponsored, targeted, influencer-led, search-engine, platform-based, audio-visual, AI-generated or AI-assisted promotional communications shall be treated as advertising where their content or manner of dissemination has a promotional character.

NMC text · Clause 3.2 · Explanation I · notice p.4

The discourse of information in the normal course of discharge of information to the public at large, without same being promotional and without any intent for commercial benefit shall be exempted from the above definition of “Advertisement”.

The medium doesn't matter. Clause 3.5 names print, TV, radio, social media, websites and blogs, WhatsApp and Telegram, podcasts, influencer marketing, sponsored posts, AI-generated promotion, public interviews, news articles intended for promotion and online healthcare platforms.

The 7-check test before you post

Run every Reel, post, story, WhatsApp forward and ad through these seven checks, top to bottom. A wrong answer means stop and fix it before posting.

Does the post show your name, qualification and SMR/NMR Reg. No.? No → add them. Exp. III
Any patient testimonial, review, story, before-after, face or name? Yes → remove it. Exp. V · 6.2 · 8.1(v)
Any “best”, “No.1”, “guaranteed”, “100%”, “painless”, “miracle” type claim? Yes → delete the claim. 8.1(iii) · (ix)
Any discount, offer, coupon, cashback, free camp or freebie? Yes → remove the offer. 8.1(x)
Does it use fear, or push unnecessary tests or procedures? Yes → rewrite it. 8.1(i) · (vi)
Made with AI? Is it a promo campaign, or does it fake a person? Yes → stop, or label it. 7.2
Posted by an agency or influencer? Would it pass if you posted it? No → fix it — you're liable. 4.4 · 8.1(xi)

The 12 big don'ts

Straight from Clauses 8.1 and 7.2.

Fear-based marketing, or pushing unnecessary tests or procedures 8.1(i)
Soliciting patients or self-promotion, including through third parties 8.1(ii)
“Best”, “No.1”, “Guaranteed cure”, “100% success”, “Painless” 8.1(iii), (ix)
Endorsing any drug, device or health product — paid or not 8.1(iv)
Before-after photos, success stories, celebrity patients 8.1(v)
Unrealistic promises, hidden risks, unproven or secret remedies 8.1(vi)
Commissions, referral fees, lead-generation fees 8.1(vii)
Paying agencies or influencers per patient they bring in 8.1(viii)
Discounts, limited offers, contests, coupons, cashback, free procedures 8.1(x)
Celebrity, influencer, patient or staff testimonials 8.1(xi), Exp. V
Fake followers, likes, reviews or comments; gaming search rankings 8.1(xii)
AI-generated promotional campaigns 7.2

Testimonials & reviews

“Doctor ne meri life badal di!” — reposted to your story, it's now a prohibited testimonial.

NMC text · Clause 3.2 · Explanation V · notice p.4

No RMP or hospital/medical institution shall solicit, purchase, procure, manipulate or cause to be published fake, paid or misleading patient reviews, ratings, testimonials, endorsements or recommendations for the promotion of medical services. An RMP shall not request or share patient testimonials, recommendations, endorsements or reviews for professional promotion on social media.

NMC text · Clause 8.1(xi) · notice p.9

No RMP shall use or permit any celebrity, influencer, patient, employee or third party to promote professional services through prohibited testimonials, endorsements or recommendations. Any material commercial relationship in lawful public-health or informational communication shall be transparently disclosed in accordance with applicable law. No RMP or hospital/medical institution shall use a third party as an intermediary to do indirectly what the RMP or institution is prohibited from doing directly.

Don't ask patients for testimonials or reviews to promote yourself, and don't share or repost them on social media.
Never buy, procure or edit reviews or ratings — no fake or paid reviews.
Celebrities, influencers, staff or patients can't promote you with testimonials either.
Any genuine commercial tie-up in health-awareness content must be disclosed.

Using any patient photo, video, case or story?

Is it for promotion? (testimonial, success story, before-after, endorsement, “look what I achieved”) → not allowed — even with written consent (6.2, 8.1(v)).
Strictly scientific or educational? Then consent must be specific, informed, voluntary, documented and verifiable (6.3).
Remove identity: crop, blur or black out the name, face, birthmarks — anything identifying (6.4, 7.4).
Then it's OK to use for scientific or educational purposes.

NMC text · Clause 6.2 · notice p.6

Patient consent shall not, by itself, make permissible any testimonial, endorsement, promotional patient story, before-and-after depiction, success claim or other advertising practice that is otherwise prohibited under these Guidelines or applicable law.

NMC text · Clause 6.4 · notice p.6

Even where disclosure is lawfully permitted, reasonable safeguards shall be adopted by the hospital/medical institution and RMP shall be duty bound to prevent unnecessary disclosure of names or to crop, blur, black out, birth marks/ identification marks, or other information through which the patient may be identified.

NMC text · Clause 8.1(v) · notice p.8

Shall not publish cases for promotional purposes, advertise surgical results, display “before and after” photographs, publicize celebrity patients, promote personal success stories unless published strictly for scientific or educational purposes with anonymized patient consent.

NMC text · Clause 7.4 · notice p.7

RMP/ Clinical establishment shall not share any patient data, such as names, faces, anomalies, etc., which can be identified publicly.

Banned words & claims

Guaranteed cure
Best doctor
No.1 Specialist
100% success
Painless treatment
Miracle treatment
Exclusive cure
Leading
Most trusted
Top
Number one
Unmatched

NMC text · Clause 8.1(iii) · notice p.8

Shall not advertise either personal achievements or professional success rates or number of patients treated with illustrative assertions such as “Guaranteed cures”, “Best doctors”, “No.1 Specialist”, “100% success”, “painless treatment”, “Miracle treatment”, “Exclusive cure” or any other unverifiable or exaggerated claims by whatsoever name called.

NMC text · Clause 8.1(ix) · proviso · notice p.9

Provided, Any ranking or award relied upon in advertising shall be capable of independent verification, and material conditions, methodology and relevant date, details of award giving organization or firm shall be disclosed where necessary to avoid misleading the public.

Want to mention a ranking or award? Only if it can be independently verified — and disclose the methodology, the date and the awarding organisation.

Remove superlatives and outcome promises from bios, captions, thumbnails and clinic boards.
Don't advertise success rates or “number of patients treated”.
Never hide risks or promote unproven or secret remedies (Clause 8.1(vi)).

Offers, commissions & agency payments

✗ Not allowed	Clause
“Diwali offer ₹999”, free camps and free procedures, coupons, cashback, contests, referral benefits	8.1(x)
Commission, referral fee or lead fee for patients, specimens or materials	8.1(vii)
An agency or influencer paid per patient they bring in	8.1(viii)

✓ Allowed: fees, charges and packages stated factually and transparently, without misleading anyone (8.1(x), 8.2(ii)(g)).

NMC text · Clause 8.1(x) · notice p.9

No RMP or hospital/medical institution shall use discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits, free procedures or similar inducements in a manner that is likely to encourage unnecessary medical consultation, diagnostic investigation or treatment or otherwise amounts to solicitation of patients. Any lawful disclosure of charges, packages or fees shall be factual, transparent and not misleading.

NMC text · Clause 8.1(viii) · notice p.8

The engagement of advertising agencies, digital marketing agencies, influencers or online platforms shall not be structured in a manner that results in payment or consideration being linked to the procurement or referral of individual patients.

Using AI to make content?

Is it an AI-generated promotional campaign for commercial interest? → prohibited (7.2).
Does it mislead on diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, qualifications or patient experiences? → not allowed (7.2(a)).
Does it fake or alter a patient's or doctor's image, voice or testimonial? → not allowed (7.2(b)).
Patient data used as AI input? → it must follow privacy and data-protection law (7.2(d), 7.6).
Passed all that → allowed, but label it “AI-generated” (7.2, 7.2(c)).

NMC text · Clause 7.2 · notice p.7

AI Generated promotional campaign for furtherance of commercial interest is prohibited. Any AI generated promotional content conforming to the provisions of these guidelines, the Regulations, and applicable Clinical Establishment Act and rules framed thereunder/ any other State Act as applicable, shall compulsorily carry the source mark, explicitly stating that the origin of the content is AI.

NMC text · Clause 7.2(b) · notice p.7

AI shall not be used to create or manipulate a patient's image, testimonial, voice or clinical outcome, or to create a synthetic endorsement or representation purporting to be that of an actual patient, RMP or other person.

Agencies, influencers & platforms

If you authorise, commission, sponsor or knowingly permit a post by an agency, influencer or platform, responsibility for the content stays with you. You can't do indirectly what you can't do directly.

NMC text · Clause 4.4 · notice p.5

The fact that an advertisement or promotional communication is published through a digital platform, third party, advertising agency, influencer or other intermediary shall not, by itself, absolve an RMP or medical institution from responsibility for content which it has authorized, commissioned, sponsored, adopted or knowingly permitted.

NMC text · Clause 8.1(xii) · notice p.9

No RMP or hospital/medical institution shall procure, manipulate or cause any third party to procure or manipulate fake followers, likes, reviews, ratings, testimonials, comments, views or other digital engagement, or manipulate search rankings, visibility or algorithms to create a misleading impression of professional standing.

NMC text · Clause 9.4 · Platforms · notice p.11

All healthcare platforms hosting RMP shall ensure compliance with NMC ethical advertising norms, prohibition of paid ranking of doctors, maintain transparency in listing practices.

Brief your agency on these rules in writing and approve every post.
No buying followers, likes, views, reviews or rankings — by you or your agency.
Doctor-listing platforms can't sell paid rankings of doctors.

The good news: what you CAN post

Health awareness, public-health campaigns, educational content	5.1
Lectures and talks on TV, radio or online, in your own name and designation	8.2(iii)
Case studies published in reputed medical journals	8.2(i)
Health-education pamphlets for patients at your clinic	8.2(iv)
Greetings on national or medical days (no promotion)	8.2(v)
Government health-scheme campaigns (exempt)	7.3 Expl.

Formal announcements you may make

Factual and non-promotional: starting practice, change of practice type, change of address, temporary absence, resuming practice, succeeding to a practice, and your consultation fees.

NMC text · Clause 5.1 · notice p.6

Medical Practitioners may participate in health awareness programmers, public health campaigns, academic discussions, educational content, provided that such activities do not promote personal practice, do not solicit patients and are not monetized through promotional marketing.

NMC text · Clause 9.3 · notice p.11

RMP can issue a formal announcement which are factual, non-promotional and limited in scope regarding starting of practice, change of address, change of practice type, temporary absence, resumption of practice, public declaration of consultation fees.

Hospitals may share facts — not hype

✓ Allowed	✗ Not allowed
Name, location, contact, departments, facilities, equipment, services, emergency services, accreditation, charges. A website directory of doctors (names, qualifications, specialties, registration, availability).	Soliciting patients, inducements, superiority claims, guaranteed outcomes, promotional portrayal of an individual doctor, repeating facts so often they become promotion.

Your own photo

NMC text · Clause 9.2 · notice p.11

Use of the photograph/image of an RMP shall not be permitted; where such use constitutes self-advertisement, solicitation or promotional publicity. In particular, use of self-photograph or similar publicity material on the letterhead or signboard of a consulting room or clinical establishment shall be governed by Regulations 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, and regarded as unethical conduct.

Using your photo for self-advertisement, solicitation or promotional publicity is not permitted — including on letterheads and clinic signboards.
Educational videos in your own name are covered by Clauses 5.1 and 8.2(iii), but keep your photo out of promotional posts (offers, “book now”, clinic ads).
Hospitals are also governed by their state Clinical Establishment Act, which prevails if there's a conflict (Clause 4.3).

The penalty ladder

Graded action your State Medical Council may take (Clause 10.1):

Violation	Action
1st	Warning + mandatory ethics training
2nd	Censure + monetary penalty
3rd	Suspension of registration for 3–6 months
Serious	Misleading cure claims, inducements, digital mass solicitation → suspension for 6–12 months
Repeated	Removal from the medical register for 1–3 years

Hospitals are dealt with under the applicable Clinical Establishment Act; the doctors who authorised the content can still be examined separately (Clause 11.5). Violations may also count as professional misconduct under the NMC Act, 2019.

If a complaint is filed against you

The alleged violation is reported to your State Medical Council (SMC).
Show-cause notice — you get a chance to explain (10.2).
The SMC passes a reasoned order: the violation, your arguments and why they were accepted or rejected, and the reasons for the penalty (10.3).
Not satisfied? First appeal to the EMRB, NMC within 60 days (11.1).
Still not satisfied? Second appeal within 60 days of the first-appeal decision (11.4, Section 30(4) of the NMC Act).

NMC text · Clause 10.2 · notice p.12

The penalties shall be imposed only after issuing a show-cause notice to the defaulting RMP and providing an opportunity to explain or clarify the alleged violation, in accordance with the applicable laws.

NMC text · Clause 11.1 · notice p.12

Any RMP aggrieved by the findings or decision of the SMC may prefer an appeal before the Appellate Authority i.e, EMRB, NMC, within 60 days under Section 30 (3) of NMC Act, 2019.

Printable checklist

Name, qualification, Reg. No. on every post and bio
No patient testimonials, reviews, stories or reposts
No before-after or celebrity patients
No “best / No.1 / guaranteed / painless / 100%”
No offers, coupons, free camps, cashback
No fear-based or unnecessary-test messaging
No product, drug or device endorsements
No fake followers, likes, reviews or SEO manipulation
No AI promo campaigns; AI content labelled
Patients fully anonymised; consent documented
Agency briefed in writing; you approve every post
No per-patient payments to agencies or influencers

Rewrite it like this

✗ Before (risky)	✓ After (compliant)
“Pune's No.1 IVF specialist — 95% success!”	“Dr. A. Sharma, MS (OBG), Reg. No. MMC-XXXX · What is IVF? A 60-second explainer”
“Diwali offer: full body check-up ₹999 only!”	“Clinic open 10am–2pm on Diwali. Consultation fee ₹800.”
“Painless laser, guaranteed results”	“How laser treatment works, its risks and recovery time”
Patient video: “Doctor saab ne meri life badal di”	An educational video on the condition — no patient identity
AI avatar ad promoting your clinic	An AI-assisted infographic on a health topic, labelled “AI-generated”

NMC may issue clarifications (Clause 12); where this guide and the notice differ, the notice prevails. Want more like this? Follow growth_by_cc on Instagram for practical guides to growing ethically online.