NMC bars AI-generated patient testimonials
New Delhi: The Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has barred doctors and hospitals from using Artificial Intelligence to create or manipulate a patient's image, testimonial, voice, or clinical outcome.
Further, they have also been prohibited from using AI to create a synthetic endorsement or representation claiming to be that of an actual patient, Registered Medical Practitioner, or other person.
Under the Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by hospitals/medical institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners, the NMC Ethics Board has discussed at length the use of Artificial Intelligence by doctors and clinical establishments.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the NMC Ethics Board released these guidelines on 06.10.2026 to regulate advertisements and digital communications relating to medical practice and healthcare services in an ethical, truthful, transparent, and responsible manner. Under Chapter II of these guidelines, NMC has specified the prohibited advertising practices for RMP/Clinical Establishments. The Commission has discussed the do's and don'ts for doctors and clinical establishments when using AI-generated content.
In releasing these guidelines, NMC also clarified what doctors and clinical establishments may and may not do when using AI-generated content. NMC has prohibited doctors from using AI-Generated promotional campaign. In this regard, the new guidelines stated, "Al Generated promotional campaign for furtherance of commercial interest is prohibited. Any Al 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 Al."
Doctors and hospitals have to adhere to the following rules while using AI-Generated content:
(a) Use of AI in creating misleading/unverifiable Patient Experiences:
Releasing the new Guidelines, NMC specified that AI-generated or AI-assisted content shall not be used by an RMP or hospital/medical institution to create or disseminate misleading, deceptive or unverifiable representations concerning diagnosis, treatment, clinical outcomes, professional qualifications, patient experiences or healthcare services.
(b) AI Usage in Patient Image or Testimonial:
NMC has clarified under these new guidelines that 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.
(c) Appropriate disclosure of AI Content:
NMC said that where AI-generated or materially AI-altered content is used in a manner in which its artificial nature may reasonably be material to the audience's understanding of the communication, appropriate disclosure shall be made.
(d) Privacy and Confidentiality Issues:
Addressing the issue of privacy, confidentiality, data-protection of patient information, NMC has clarified under these new guidelines that any use of patient information as input for an Al system shall comply with applicable privacy, confidentiality, data-protection and professional-ethics requirements.
