Can doctors advertise on social media in India?

Promotional communications on social media are treated as advertising (clause 3.2). The guidelines permit educational content (clause 5.1), factual information on facilities and services (clause 3.2, Explanation II) and formal announcements (clause 8.2), and prohibit soliciting patients and self-promotion (clause 8.1 ii).

When do the NMC guidelines come into force?

The public notice dated 6 October 2026 says the guidelines come into force with immediate effect.

Do the guidelines cover social media?

Yes. Clause 3.5 lists social media platforms, websites and blogs, messaging platforms, podcasts, influencer marketing, sponsored posts and AI-generated promotion among the media of advertisement.

Do the guidelines apply to hospitals?

Yes. Clause 8.3 allows hospitals to share factual, objective and verifiable institutional information. For hospitals, the applicable Clinical Establishments Act or state law overrides the guidelines in case of conflict (clause 4.3).

Are government health campaigns covered?

No. Campaigns on programmes or schemes of the Government of India and state governments in larger public interest are exempted (clause 7.3, Explanation).

NMC advertising and social media guidelines 2026 for doctors: what is allowed

Who and what do the NMC guidelines cover?

The notice says the guidelines were framed in view of Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1160/2023 in the Supreme Court and the provisions of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.

They apply to the professional conduct of Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) in relation to advertising, publicity, digital communication and promotional activities, and are stated to address the gap created by the advent of electronic media (clause 4.1).

For RMPs they are read with the 2002 Regulations and the NMC Act, 2019; in an irreconcilable conflict, the statutory provisions and regulations prevail (clause 4.2).

Digital, social media, sponsored, targeted, influencer-led, search-engine, platform-based, audio-visual and AI-generated or AI-assisted communications are treated as advertising where their content or manner of dissemination is promotional (clause 3.2).

What can doctors post under the NMC guidelines?

Participating in health awareness programmes, public health campaigns, academic discussions and educational content, provided these do not promote personal practice, do not solicit patients and are not monetised through promotional marketing (clause 5.1).
Information on availability or installation of equipment, technology, diagnostic facilities or services, as factual information without claims of superiority, guaranteed accuracy or outcomes, comparative claims or unverifiable representations (clause 3.2, Explanation II).
Research-based communication, where case studies are published in reputed medical journals (clause 8.2 i).
A formal announcement on starting practice, change of type of practice, changing address, temporary absence from duty, resumption of another practice, succeeding to another practice, and public declaration of charges (clauses 8.2 ii and 9.3).
Lectures or talks on public health and diseases for public awareness through television, radio and electronic media, in their own name and designation, without promoting their employer organisation (clause 8.2 iii).
Health education and general information pamphlets or brochures for patients visiting the clinic or hospital, without guarantee of cure, superiority over others, unsubstantiated claims or misleading information (clause 8.2 iv).
Greetings on days of national importance or related to the medical profession, without advertisement of professional gains (clause 8.2 v).

What is not allowed for doctors on social media?

Requesting or sharing patient testimonials, recommendations, endorsements or reviews for professional promotion on social media (clause 3.2, Explanation V).
Soliciting, purchasing, procuring, manipulating or causing to be published fake, paid or misleading patient reviews, ratings, testimonials, endorsements or recommendations (clause 3.2, Explanation V).
Advertising that creates unnecessary demand for medical procedures, promotes unnecessary diagnostics or uses fear-based marketing (clause 8.1 i).
Soliciting patients directly or indirectly, self-promotion, engaging any third party for marketing medical services, or permitting use of their name, image, voice, testimonial or endorsement for promotion (clause 8.1 ii).
Advertising personal achievements, success rates or number of patients treated with assertions such as "Guaranteed cures", "Best doctors", "No.1 Specialist", "100% success", "painless treatment", "Miracle treatment" or "Exclusive cure" (clause 8.1 iii).
Giving any approval, recommendation or endorsement of any drug, medicine, device, health product or commercial product for advertising, whether or not paid (clause 8.1 iv).
Publishing cases for promotional purposes, advertising surgical results, displaying "before and after" photographs, publicising celebrity patients or promoting personal success stories, unless strictly for scientific or educational purposes with anonymised patient consent (clause 8.1 v).
Any commission, rebate, referral fee, lead-generation fee or other consideration connected with referral or procurement of patients (clause 8.1 vii).
Comparative claims such as "best", "No.1", "leading", "most trusted", "top", "number one" or "unmatched", unless objectively verifiable on a transparent and independently ascertainable methodology and otherwise permissible (clause 8.1 ix).
Discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits, free procedures or similar inducements in a manner likely to encourage unnecessary consultation, investigation or treatment, or that amounts to solicitation of patients (clause 8.1 x).
Using a celebrity, influencer, patient, employee or third party to promote professional services through prohibited testimonials, endorsements or recommendations (clause 8.1 xi).
Procuring or manipulating fake followers, likes, reviews, ratings, testimonials, comments, views or other engagement, or manipulating search rankings, visibility or algorithms to create a misleading impression of professional standing (clause 8.1 xii).
AI-generated promotional campaigns for furtherance of commercial interest (clause 7.2).
Sharing patient data such as names, faces or anomalies that can be identified publicly (clause 7.4).

What must every doctor’s post show?

An RMP publishing any electronic media post should transparently disclose (clause 3.2, Explanation III):

Name
Qualifications
Registration status
SMR/NMR Registration number

Are doctors responsible for posts by agencies and influencers?

Publication through a digital platform, third party, advertising agency, influencer or other intermediary does not, by itself, absolve an RMP from responsibility for content they authorised, commissioned, sponsored, adopted or knowingly permitted (clause 4.4).

Engagement of advertising agencies, digital marketing agencies, influencers or online platforms shall not be structured so that payment is linked to procurement or referral of individual patients (clause 8.1 viii).

What is the penalty for breaking the NMC guidelines?

Action is taken by the concerned State Medical Council. The graded action that may be contemplated (clause 10.1):

First violation: warning and mandatory ethics training
Second violation: censure and monetary penalty
Third violation: suspension of registration (3 to 6 months)
Serious violation (misleading cure claims, inducement for patients, digital mass solicitation, etc.): suspension of 6 to 12 months
Repeated violations: removal from the medical register for 1 to 3 years

How do show-cause notices and appeals work?

Penalties are imposed only after a show-cause notice and an opportunity to explain (clause 10.2), by a reasoned and speaking order (clause 10.3).

An appeal against the State Medical Council’s decision lies to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board, NMC, within 60 days under Section 30(3) of the NMC Act (clause 11.1). A second appeal lies under Section 30(4) within sixty days of the first appeal decision (clause 11.4).

Questions

Can doctors advertise on social media in India?: Promotional communications on social media are treated as advertising (clause 3.2). The guidelines permit educational content (clause 5.1), factual information on facilities and services (clause 3.2, Explanation II) and formal announcements (clause 8.2), and prohibit soliciting patients and self-promotion (clause 8.1 ii).
When do the NMC guidelines come into force?: The public notice dated 6 October 2026 says the guidelines come into force with immediate effect.
Do the guidelines cover social media?: Yes. Clause 3.5 lists social media platforms, websites and blogs, messaging platforms, podcasts, influencer marketing, sponsored posts and AI-generated promotion among the media of advertisement.
Do the guidelines apply to hospitals?: Yes. Clause 8.3 allows hospitals to share factual, objective and verifiable institutional information. For hospitals, the applicable Clinical Establishments Act or state law overrides the guidelines in case of conflict (clause 4.3).
Are government health campaigns covered?: No. Campaigns on programmes or schemes of the Government of India and state governments in larger public interest are exempted (clause 7.3, Explanation).

Sources

Rules change. Check the latest notice from the National Medical Commission, the National Dental Commission or your State Council before you act.

NMC advertising and social media guidelines for doctors (6 October 2026)