NMC Bans Fake AI Patient Reviews, Misleading Medical Ads
Doctors, Hospitals Barred From Making Unverified ‘No. 1’ And ‘100% Success’ Claims: Reports
NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has barred doctors and hospitals from using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake patient testimonials, fabricated treatment outcomes and endorsements, while imposing restrictions on misleading claims such as “best doctor”, “No. 1 specialist” and “100% success”.
The new guidelines on ethical advertising and public communication, issued by the commission earlier this week, have come into force with immediate effect. They seek to prevent misleading promotion of medical services and protect patients from exaggerated or unverified claims.
Under the guidelines, doctors and hospitals cannot use AI-generated or AI-assisted content to fabricate patient experiences, clinical results, voices or endorsements. They are also prohibited from using deepfake images or synthetic voices to promote their services.
Claims such as “most trusted”, “guaranteed cure”, “miracle treatment” and “painless treatment” cannot be used without an objectively verifiable basis.
The guidelines also prohibit doctors and hospitals from buying or manipulating patient reviews, ratings, testimonials and endorsements. They cannot artificially inflate their popularity through fake followers, likes, comments or views on social media.
Paying to manipulate search engine rankings or visibility on digital platforms to create a misleading impression of professional standing is also prohibited.
The NMC has restricted the use of celebrities, social media influencers, patients and other third parties to promote medical services through prohibited endorsements or testimonials.
Doctors may continue to share factual medical information and public health awareness material, provided it is accurate, transparent and does not amount to misleading self-promotion.
The commission has also prescribed a graded system of disciplinary action for violations. A first violation can attract a warning and mandatory ethics training, while a second may result in censure and a monetary penalty.
A third violation may lead to suspension of medical registration for three to six months.
The guidelines are aimed at ensuring that patients make healthcare decisions based on reliable information rather than fabricated testimonials, exaggerated success rates or promotional claims.
They apply to registered medical practitioners, hospitals and medical institutions, including communications through websites, social media and other advertising platforms.