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For oncologists and cancer-care practices in Kolkata

Digital Marketing For Cancer Hospitals & Oncologists In Kolkata, Built Around The NMC Rules

Oncologists and cancer-care institutions need to help patients and families understand services, investigations and treatment pathways without adding to fear or implying a guaranteed outcome. The NMC's Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, dated 6 October 2026, sets boundaries for medical advertising and public communication. In oncology, calm health education and promotional promises must be kept clearly apart.

Medmatis is an NMC-compliant healthcare digital marketing agency in Kolkata: our work is built around the National Medical Commission's 2026 guidelines. Here is how those rules apply to oncologists and cancer-care institutions, and what we do about them.

New to the NMC rules? Start here →

The short answer

Oncology practices can publish factual service information and non-promotional cancer education. Avoid fear-based messaging, unsupported survival or success claims, promotional patient stories and outcome promises.

Updated 23 October 2026. Based on the NMC's Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics of 6 October 2026. Not legal advice.

What patients ask before they choose

What are the early signs of cancer I should not ignore?An education page can explain that symptoms vary and that persistent changes should be discussed with a healthcare professional. Keep it calm and factual, and never imply a symptom means cancer or use anxiety to promote a practice (cl. 5.1; cl. 8.1 i).
What does radiation therapy involve?A patient guide can explain the general purpose of radiation therapy and where to ask questions. A facility page may describe services factually. Avoid claims that equipment is superior or guarantees a better result (cl. 3.2, Explanation II; cl. 8.1 iii, vi).
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?A page can explain that side effects depend on the medicines and the person, and that the treating team can discuss risks and support. Have the oncologist review it. Never present treatment as risk-free or minimise harms (cl. 8.1 iii, vi).
How do I choose a cancer hospital in Kolkata?Patients can compare services, specialist details, location, contact arrangements and how to request a second opinion. Keep it verifiable. Avoid "best hospital" claims, unverified rankings or survival-rate statements implying superiority (cl. 8.1 iii, ix; cl. 8.3, 9.1).
What is a second opinion for cancer treatment?A page can explain that a second opinion lets another qualified clinician discuss a diagnosis or proposed care. Do not suggest patients should distrust their current team or use fear to drive enquiries. Educate rather than solicit (cl. 5.1).
What does cancer treatment cost in Kolkata?Cost varies with the care, investigations, medicines and services. An institution can publish factual fees or explain how to request an estimate. Avoid misleading offers, pressure or any suggestion that a price guarantees an outcome (cl. 8.1 x).

The NMC rules that matter most for oncologists and cancer-care institutions

The notice binds doctors and hospitals, and an agency does not remove that responsibility (cl. 4.4). These are the clauses we design around.

Not allowed Do not use fear to generate enquiriesClause 8.1 i bars fear-based marketing and advertising meant to create unnecessary demand. Avoid alarming headlines, exaggerated urgency or language that uses a family's distress to drive enquiries. Cancer-awareness content should inform people calmly and never turn fear into a promotional device.
Not allowed Avoid unsupported survival and success claimsClause 8.1 iii bars advertising success rates or patient numbers with exaggerated or unverifiable assertions, and 8.1 vi bars unrealistic expectations. Treat survival rates, success percentages and patient volumes as barred unless legal advice says otherwise. Never imply that choosing a provider guarantees an individual outcome.
Not allowed Keep survivor stories out of promotionClauses 8.1 v and 6.2 bar promotional patient stories and before-and-after material, and consent alone does not make them acceptable. Use general education, diagrams and treatment-pathway explanations instead, and protect identifiable patient information (cl. 6.1, 7.4).
Allowed with care Describe equipment and facilities factuallyClause 3.2, Explanation II, allows factual information on equipment and diagnostic facilities, without superiority, guaranteed accuracy or outcomes, or comparisons, and 8.1 iv bars device endorsements tied to a doctor. Describe radiation or day-care services accurately, and never suggest a machine guarantees better results.
Allowed with care Keep awareness apart from promotionClause 5.1 allows health awareness content that does not promote the practice or solicit patients. A cancer-awareness post needs a clear educational purpose, balanced language and no fear aimed at a provider. Judge the purpose and call to action, not merely the awareness-day label.
Your responsibility Keep institutional information accurateClauses 8.3 and 9.1 allow factual institutional information and doctor directories within limits. Keep services, credentials, registration details and facility descriptions accurate. Under clause 4.4, using an agency does not remove the responsibility of the doctor or institution for content it authorised.

What to publish, and what to leave out

Do

  • Explain what happens at a first oncology visit
  • Describe facilities and services factually
  • Use calm, oncologist-reviewed educational content
  • Publish verified practitioner and contact details

Don't

  • Use fear to push patients towards a provider
  • Promote survival rates as proof of superiority
  • Use survivor stories as promotional testimonials
  • Describe equipment as a guarantee of success

How Medmatis works with oncologists and cancer-care institutions

01 Content Marketing We develop oncologist-reviewed explainers on appointments, treatment pathways, common questions and services, free of fear, unsupported survival claims or outcome promises. Explore Content Marketing 02 AI Search & SEO We structure cancer-care pages around patient questions, accurate service descriptions and practical local information, never on misleading rankings, fake engagement or superiority claims. Explore AI Search & SEO 03 Website Development We organise information on departments, facilities, contact details and practitioners. Radiation and day-care descriptions are checked for accuracy and never imply equipment guarantees a result. Explore Website Development 04 Doctor Video Marketing We plan educational video scripts on what to expect at an appointment and what to ask the care team, avoiding promotional survivor stories, dramatic fear-based appeals and treatment-success claims. Explore Doctor Video Marketing
What we won't do

We will not create cancer-care campaigns built on fear, unsupported survival claims, guaranteed outcomes or promotional survivor stories. We will not present equipment as proof of superior results or use awareness campaigns as a disguised way to solicit patients. Where a proposed campaign raises uncertainty, we flag it for review. We never price our work per patient or per enquiry (cl. 8.1 vii, viii).

Read our guide to the rules and how we approach them.

Questions from oncologists and cancer-care institutions

Can an oncology practice publish cancer survival rates?

Treat them as barred unless legal advice says otherwise. Clause 8.1 iii bars advertising success rates or patient numbers with exaggerated or unverifiable assertions, and 8.1 vi bars unrealistic expectations. Any proposed statistic needs review of its evidence, source and presentation, and must never imply it predicts one patient's outcome.

Can we describe our radiation equipment or treatment facilities?

Yes, factually. Clause 3.2, Explanation II, allows factual information on equipment and diagnostic facilities without superiority, guaranteed accuracy or outcomes, or comparisons, and clause 8.1 iv restricts product endorsements. Describe services accurately, and do not imply that a machine guarantees better results.

Can an oncology practice share a survivor's story with consent?

Not as promotional patient material. Clause 8.1 v bars promotional patient stories and before-and-after material, and clause 6.2 says consent alone does not make them acceptable. Use general education instead. Any scientific or educational use of patient material needs separate review of purpose, consent and anonymisation.

Can we publish posts for World Cancer Day or cancer-awareness month?

Yes, when they are genuinely educational. Clause 5.1 allows health awareness content that does not promote the practice or solicit patients. Keep posts calm and balanced, review the call to action, and do not use an awareness theme to generate fear or push enquiries towards one provider.

Can we call a treatment a "latest breakthrough"?

Only if the wording is accurate and supported. Clause 8.1 vi bars statements creating unrealistic expectations and promotion of unproven therapies. Avoid hype that implies a treatment is proven, universally suitable or certain to work, and have claims about new technology or research reviewed by the oncologist.

Can an oncology practice publish a fundraising appeal?

Take legal advice first. The notice does not clearly settle fundraising appeals, and a charitable purpose does not automatically make one permissible. Review the message, beneficiary information, collection method, use of funds and any link to treatment promotion before publishing.

Does Medmatis work with oncology practices in Kolkata?

Yes. Cancer-care practices and institutions in Kolkata can work with us on calm patient education, factual facility and service pages, search optimisation and educational video, under the NMC's 2026 guidelines. We never use fear, survival figures or survivor stories to attract patients, and uncertain activities such as fundraising appeals are flagged for review.

These answers explain a public notice in plain language and quote its clause numbers. They are not legal advice. Read the original NMC notice and take advice on your own situation. Last updated 23 October 2026.

Keep reading

Can doctors use patient testimonials under the NMC's 2026 guidelines? What can doctors post on social media and WhatsApp under the NMC guidelines? What can a hospital or clinic website say under the NMC guidelines? Super-Speciality Hospital Marketing Nursing Homes & Daycare Marketing General & Laparoscopic Surgery Marketing

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