The NMC's guidelines, dated 6 October 2026, cover communications that directly or indirectly promote a doctor's or hospital's services. Search-engine communication can fall within that definition when it has a promotional character (cl. 3.2).
What the notice says
The notice bars manipulating search rankings, visibility or algorithms to create a misleading impression. It also addresses fake engagement, including fake followers, likes, reviews and views (cl. 8.1 xii).
The distinction matters: the notice does not say that every effort to make accurate information easier to find is prohibited. It targets the specified misleading practices while requiring promotional communication to follow the other applicable rules.
The notice also addresses healthcare platforms that host doctors. Those platforms must follow the NMC norms and prohibit paid ranking of doctors (cl. 9.4).
What it means in practice
Doctors should not treat SEO as automatically prohibited, or assume that every search tactic is acceptable.
A website can provide accurate factual information, while a promotional claim on that same website remains subject to the notice. Search visibility does not make a claim acceptable.
Review the way your practice appears in search results. Check for fake engagement, misleading claims and practices that create an inaccurate impression of professional standing. Keep qualifications, services, locations and other factual information accurate.
No agency can guarantee a search position or an AI assistant's citation. Rankings are not evidence of compliance.
What is still allowed?
The notice does not ban SEO as a whole. It distinguishes misleading manipulation from search communication generally, while retaining the rules that apply to promotional content (cl. 8.1 xii; 3.2).
The notice also identifies factual hospital information and doctor directories as permitted patient information when they stay within the stated limits (cl. 8.3; 9.1). This supports a focus on accurate information rather than misleading presentation.
Related reading: NMC advertising guidelines 2026 · AI Search & SEO · NMC-compliant healthcare marketing agency in Kolkata
Source: NMC Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, 6 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Last checked: 15 October 2026.