India's Medical Regulator to Oversee AI-Generated Doctor and Hospital Advertisements
India's National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced new rules prohibiting registered medical practitioners and hospitals from using AI-generated promotional content that misleads audiences.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) in India has issued new guidelines regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in advertisements by doctors and healthcare institutions. These rules, effective from October 6, 2026, aim to curb misleading or synthetic content in promotional materials and digital communications.
The guidelines explicitly prohibit the use of AI for creating deceptive or unverified claims about medical diagnoses, treatments, outcomes, or professional qualifications. Synthetic endorsements or representations of patients, using manipulated images, voices, or clinical results, are also banned. Any AI-generated or altered content used in a commercial capacity must be clearly disclosed as AI-generated or AI-assisted if it could mislead the audience about its artificial nature.
Furthermore, the regulations emphasize patient privacy and consent. Any patient information used as input for AI systems must comply with data protection laws and require appropriate consent. Even with consent, patient testimonials or before-and-after depictions are prohibited if they violate the guidelines or applicable law.
Enforcement of these guidelines falls under the purview of the respective State Medical Councils (SMCs). Penalties range from a warning and mandatory ethics training for a first violation to censure and monetary penalties for a second. Serious offenses can lead to temporary or permanent suspension from the medical register. Decisions made by SMCs can be appealed within 60 days.
These measures aim to protect professional integrity, prevent the commercialization of healthcare, and safeguard patients from misleading medical claims. The move addresses the growing use of AI in advertising, highlighted by a December 2024 Delhi High Court order that restricted the use of AI-generated videos promoting medical remedies.