Rethinking Medical Advertising Rules in Digital India
The Medical Council of Tamil Nadu recently stopped doctors from having websites, calling it “unethical” and equating it to advertising. However, as India pushes toward a Digital India and as Justice Lodha reforms the Medical Council of India, we must ask an important question: Do our current medical ethics match today’s world?
A Shrinking World
India is now a global hub for medical treatment. Patients from around the world prefer Indian doctors because they offer strong expertise and affordable care. Yet, how can doctors present themselves globally without even a basic website?
Patients never search for hospitals first—they look for a specific doctor. Therefore, doctor websites are not a luxury anymore; they are essential tools for visibility and patient trust.
More Than Just Doctors
Doctors aren’t just clinicians. Many run clinics, nursing homes, or hospitals. They invest heavily in infrastructure, medical equipment, and staff—including nurses, paramedics, administrators, and support teams. They also pay commercial rent, utilities, insurance, and regulatory fees.
To sustain these responsibilities, they must reach the community. But the moment they display a small hoarding, create a website, or add a listing, medical councils often issue notices accusing them of unethical advertising. Meanwhile, non-medical or non-allopathic hospital owners freely advertise because councils cannot restrict them.
Many residential societies do not even allow a visible signboard. So how can patients discover a doctor who is right there to care for them?
Unseen Impact on the Economy
India aims to eliminate the black economy. Yet when doctors cannot legally announce their services, they often rely on intermediaries. Referral cuts go to agents, drivers, ward staff, or anyone who sends patients to them.
This system encourages hidden income and tax evasion.
If patients could directly find doctors—through websites or legitimate listings—many malpractices, unnecessary tests, and excessive surgeries would naturally decline.
Who Really Benefits?
The restriction mainly benefits:
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Corporate hospitals, because they are allowed to advertise
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Clinic chains with strong marketing budgets
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Older, already-established doctors who dominate councils and committees
This creates an uneven playing field. Even the American Medical Association removed such restrictions to ensure fairness. Today, people relocate frequently for jobs, so they rely on the digital world to find healthcare. A family doctor cannot always guide them anymore. Corporate hospitals may assign inexperienced doctors or those chosen for political reasons—not necessarily the best specialist.
We Want Clarity, Not Claims
Doctors are not asking for exaggerated advertising. They simply want to inform the public about:
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Their qualifications
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Services offered
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Fees
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Areas of expertise
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Special clinic timings
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Any unique facilities
Patients make their own decisions. They are not forced to undergo treatment. In fact, transparency empowers them to compare options and speak to existing patients for feedback.
Unequal Rules
Homeopaths, Ayurvedic practitioners, fitness influencers, dieticians, gyms, and wellness centers advertise freely in newspapers and online. They often make bold claims with little scrutiny.
Yet strict rules apply only to allopathic doctors, even when they avoid promises of miracle cures.
Medical Councils should punish false claims—but banning websites or signboards altogether is extreme and outdated.
Misuse Through Complaints
In a competitive environment, rival doctors sometimes file complaints simply to damage another doctor’s reputation. Leaked news reports can harm careers long before any legal verdict.
Just as we have laws protecting doctors from physical assaults, we also need laws against reputation attacks through media or cyber abuse. Fair hearings must come before public shaming.
Technology Moves Faster Than Rules
Today, councils have banned websites and Facebook pages. Tomorrow they may target WhatsApp, Practo, Google listings, Instagram, or even new platforms that don’t exist yet.
Regulating every digital channel is impossible. Instead, we need clear, reasonable guidelines that allow ethical communication. Doctors do not want to solicit patients or boast about results. They simply want to inform the public about where they practice and what they offer.
Let Merit Win
India’s healthcare landscape is evolving quickly. It’s time to give doctors a fair opportunity to reach patients without fear of penalties. Modern, ethical visibility helps patients make informed choices and reduces dependency on middlemen.
In the end, the best doctors should get their due—not the loudest advertisers, nor the strongest hospital brands.
This article was first published on the Mumbai Gynaec website. Moreover, it has been reproduced on this page with permission from the original author and owner,
Dr. Swati Allahbadia, so that readers can access updated and useful medical information.