NMC glossary · Money, offers and third parties
Discounts And Offers: What It Means Under The NMC Rules
Also searched as: Discount, Free camp, Coupon, Limited-period offer, Cashback
Discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits and free procedures are barred when they are likely to encourage unnecessary consultation, investigation or treatment, or amount to solicitation. Factual disclosure of fees is allowed.
Updated 7 November 2026. Reviewed by Tamojit Lodh, Founder of Medmatis. Built around the NMC's Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics of 6 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Key facts, with sources
Hide the 4 key facts and their sourcesShow the 4 key facts and their sources
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Term | Discounts and offers (also searched as Discount, Free camp, Coupon) | Medmatis |
| In the notice | Not defined by the notice; this entry explains how the notice uses it. | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026, cl. 8.1 (x) |
| Applies to | Doctors (RMPs) and hospitals/medical institutions | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026 |
| In force | From 6 October 2026, with immediate effect. The NMC may issue clarifications and advisories (cl. 12). | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026 |
In plain words
Clause 8.1 (x) is conditional. It does not ban every price promotion; it bars inducements “in a manner that is likely to encourage unnecessary medical consultation, diagnostic investigation or treatment or otherwise amounts to solicitation of patients”.
The same clause protects plain disclosure: lawful disclosure of charges, packages or fees shall be factual, transparent and not misleading.
What it does not mean
- It does not say all discounts are banned. A flat “all discounts banned” reading goes further than the clause.
- It does not address every package or health-camp arrangement by name. Where the position is unclear, take advice.
Consultation fee: Rs. 500. Follow-up within 14 days: no charge.
Flat 50% off full-body check-up this week only, bring a friend and both get a free scan.
Illustrative wording only. It shows the idea and is not a clearance of any page.
The notice’s own words
Quoted from the NMC notice of 6 October 2026. Check the clause number against the original.
cl. 8.1 (x)No RMP or hospital/medical institution shall use discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits, free procedures or similar inducements in a manner that is likely to encourage unnecessary medical consultation, diagnostic investigation or treatment or otherwise amounts to solicitation of patients. Any lawful disclosure of charges, packages or fees shall be factual, transparent and not misleading.
Our plain-language guide to the whole notice → Check your own text against these rules →
Frequently asked questions
Can a clinic advertise a health package with a price?
Lawful disclosure of charges, packages or fees is allowed if factual, transparent and not misleading. Inducements likely to encourage unnecessary consultation, investigation or treatment, or that amount to solicitation, are barred (cl. 8.1 x).
Are free health camps allowed?
The notice names free procedures among the inducements it bars when likely to encourage unnecessary care or amount to solicitation (cl. 8.1 x). It does not address every health-camp arrangement, so seek advice on yours.
This entry explains a public notice in plain language and quotes its clause numbers. It is not legal advice. Read the original NMC notice and take advice on your own situation.
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