Urges that the information should be factual and can be verified
The National Medical Commission (NMC) in its recently issued guidelines has called for a stop to unethical practices on various social media websites.NMC has recently released the draft of the Registered Medical Practioner Professional Conduct Regulations, 2022 in the public domain inviting comments on the same from the various stakeholders. Given the rise of the use of Internet media in particular social media, for the first time, the NMC has introduced and section within the ethics guidelines called the conduct of CONDUCT of RMPs on SOCIAL MEDIA.
The guidelines mention, “Doctors should not directly or indirectly indulge in the practice of purchasing likes ‘likes’, ‘followers’, or paying money so that search algorithms lead to their name is listed at the top or registering on software programmes that charge fees for higher ratings or soliciting patients.”
The guidelines do not stop any doctor from having their websites or social media profiles but specify that the information should be factual and can be verified. The information should not be misleading or deceptive, nor should it exploit patients’ vulnerability or lack of knowledge.
The guidelines further mandate that the doctors should not invest in ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ on social media or pay money for search algorithms that lead to their names being listed at the top of search queries, nor they should request or post any pictures including testimonials, recommendations, endorsements and reviews.
The NMC has urged doctors to keep in mind the distinction between telemedicine consultation and social media and provide only factual and verified information on online platforms to prohibit exploiting the patient’s vulnerability or lack of knowledge.
