NMC advertising guidelines

Under the new NMC rules, AI stays behind the scenes, not in your promotion.

The notice prohibits AI-generated promotional campaigns for commercial interest, and any AI content that does conform must carry an AI source mark. Here are 12 areas, covering AI video, topics, images and graphics, with do's and don'ts and an example for every point.

  • AI-generated or AI-assisted promotion counts as advertising (cl. 3.2, 3.5).
  • AI cannot be used for synthetic patients, voices, testimonials or deepfakes (cl. 7.2).
  • Real facilities, real doctors and doctor-reviewed education stay open to you.
Browse the do's and don'ts WhatsApp

Can we use AI for this?

Choose what you plan to make. The answer updates as you go. It is a prompt to check, not a ruling.

What is it?
Where will it be used?
Does it use patient data?
What the notice says about AI

The AI rules are short, and they point one way

Keep AI out of promotion, keep synthetic people out of everything public, and label whatever is ever cleared.

AI promotion is advertising

Digital, AI-generated and AI-assisted communication counts as advertising wherever it is promotional.

cl. 3.2, 3.5

Promotional AI campaigns are prohibited

AI-generated promotional campaigns for the furtherance of commercial interest are not allowed.

cl. 7.2

Conforming AI content carries a source mark

Any AI promotional content that conforms to the guidelines must carry a mark stating that its origin is AI.

cl. 7.2, 7.2(c)

No fabricated people or results

AI cannot create deceptive representations of diagnoses, treatments, outcomes, qualifications or patient experiences. Synthetic patient images, voices and testimonials, and deepfakes, are out.

cl. 7.2

Patient data stays out, and responsibility stays with you

Patient data must not go into public AI tools. Using an agency does not shift responsibility, and doctors face personal penalties.

cl. 7.2(d), 7.6, 4.4, 10, 11.5

A note on the wording

The opening line of cl. 7.2 prohibits AI promotional campaigns for commercial interest, and the next line sets a source-mark rule for AI content that conforms. These can read as in tension. The safest reading is to avoid AI-based promotion entirely, and to ask Legal before using AI in any public content.

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Risk ladder

Which AI uses carry the least risk

This comparison is a marketing-compliance reading of the notice, not an NMC statement.

Lowest risk
Internal research, drafting and analytics, with no patient data
Nothing public, nothing promotional (conservative reading of cl. 7.2).
Low risk
Human-written, doctor-reviewed content, with AI used only for research
The published piece is written and checked by people (cl. 5.1, 8.2(iv)).
Grey area
Public educational AI visuals, labelled and doctor-reviewed
Needs Legal's written opinion first, and the AI source mark.
Not available
AI promotional video, images, graphics and copy
Prohibited, or frozen pending Legal (cl. 7.2).
Not available
AI patients, testimonials, doctor avatars, deepfakes, voice clones
Prohibited in any public use (cl. 7.2, 6.2, 8.1(v)).
12 areas

Do's and don'ts, with an example for each

Pick an area, or search. Examples are illustrative and are not quotes from the notice.

Show
Area

01

AI-generated video

cl. 7.2, 3.5, 8.1(v)

Do

Freeze AI-generated promotional video until Legal gives a written opinion.

ExampleAn AI-made "hospital promo" reel is held back and sent to Legal.

Use real, factual footage instead.

ExampleA filmed walkthrough of the OPD waiting area with no patients in frame.

If an AI video is ever cleared, show the AI source mark on the video itself.

ExampleA visible "AI-generated" label on the video, not only in the caption.

Have the clinical head and Legal review the final cut before upload.

ExampleAn approval-log entry for each video, with names and dates.

Don't

Create AI-generated promotional videos for the hospital.

ExampleAn AI-made 60-second film promoting the cardiology department.

Use deepfake or face-swap video.

ExampleA face-swapped video of a doctor saying words they never said.

Show AI-made surgery or treatment results.

ExampleAn AI animation of a patient "recovering in days" after knee surgery.

Use AI-generated patients in a video.

ExampleAn AI "patient" saying "This hospital saved my life."

02

AI-generated images

cl. 7.2, 8.3

Do

Use real photographs of your actual facility and equipment.

ExampleA photo of the real MRI suite, with a factual caption.

Hold any AI image until it is cleared, then label it.

ExampleAn AI-made festival image is held back. If cleared, it carries "AI-generated".

Make captions and alt text honest about what the image is.

ExampleAlt text: "Illustration of the heart, AI-generated."

Keep the original photo files and their source on record.

ExampleA folder noting who took each photo, where and when.

Don't

Use AI images that look like real patients.

ExampleAn AI "grateful patient" portrait on a post.

Use AI-generated "stock doctors" as the face of the hospital.

ExampleAn AI doctor in a white coat on a banner.

Use AI images to show anatomy, clinical outcomes or treatment results.

ExampleAn AI before and after image of a skin treatment.

Show facilities or equipment you do not have.

ExampleAn AI-rendered "advanced robotic OT" that does not exist.

03

Graphics, banners and design

cl. 7.2, 8.1(ix), 8.3

Do

Design graphics with standard tools and keep the text factual.

ExampleA festival banner: "Happy Diwali from XYZ Hospital."

Use clinician-approved diagrams for health education.

ExampleA licensed anatomy diagram in a diabetes explainer.

Use AI only for internal mock-ups that never go public.

ExampleA layout sketch for the design team, deleted before the final design.

Put the AI source mark on any cleared AI-assisted graphic.

ExampleAn "AI-generated" tag in the corner of the infographic.

Don't

Publish AI-generated promotional banners or posters.

ExampleAn AI-made "Best Care" poster.

Use AI graphics that carry claims or made-up data.

ExampleAn AI infographic showing a "99% success rate."

Use AI-made logos, certificates or accreditation badges.

ExampleAn AI-made "NABH accredited" badge.

Use exaggerated AI thumbnails.

ExampleAn AI thumbnail of a shocked patient face to push clicks.

04

Topics, scripts and written content

cl. 7.2, 5.1, 8.2(iv)

Do

Use AI for topic research and outlines, internally.

ExampleList the questions patients ask about diabetes, then write the article by hand.

Have a person write it and a doctor review it before it is published.

Example"Reviewed by Dr. A. Sharma, MBBS, MD, Reg. No. ___."

Check every fact against a trusted source.

ExampleA reference to ICMR, WHO or MoHFW guidance at the end of the article.

Keep topics educational and factual.

Example"Understanding type 2 diabetes: symptoms and care."

Don't

Publish AI-written promotional copy.

ExampleAn AI-written "Why choose us" page.

Publish AI medical content that no doctor has checked.

ExampleAn AI answer about drug doses pasted into a blog.

Use AI to invent qualifications, statistics or outcomes.

ExampleAn AI-written bio claiming "20 years of experience" with no basis.

Mass-produce pages with AI.

Example500 near-identical "doctor in [area]" pages generated at once.

05

Voice and audio

cl. 7.2

Do

Record real voices for any audio you publish.

ExampleThe doctor's own voice in an educational explainer, with name and credentials.

Hold AI voiceovers for promotion until they are cleared.

ExampleAn AI voiceover is held back. If cleared, "AI-generated voice" is shown in the video.

Don't

Clone a doctor's or a patient's voice.

ExampleA cloned voice of Dr. X reading an ad script.

Use synthetic voices for testimonials or endorsements.

ExampleAn AI voice reading out a "patient review."

Use an AI voice agent to pitch or solicit patients.

ExampleAn AI caller offering a discounted health package.

06

Doctors and AI

cl. 7.2, 8.1(ii), 9.2

Do

Show real doctors with full credentials in a factual directory.

Example"Dr. A. Sharma, MBBS, MD (Medicine), Reg. No. ___. OPD Mon-Sat."

Keep doctor content educational and in the doctor's own name.

ExampleA doctor-recorded video on managing blood pressure, with no hospital pitch.

Brief doctors that AI use in their name can carry personal liability.

ExampleA written acknowledgement from each doctor after the briefing (cl. 10, 11.5).

Don't

Create AI doctors or avatars.

ExampleAn AI avatar "Dr. Priya" presenting a cardiology talk.

Use an AI-generated promotional portrayal of an individual doctor.

ExampleAn AI "star surgeon" hero video for Dr. X.

Use AI to alter a doctor's photo or credentials.

ExampleAn AI portrait that adds a surgeon's gown to a non-clinical staff photo.

07

Patients, testimonials and outcomes

cl. 7.2, 6.2, 8.1(v), Expl. V

Do

Keep patients out of promotional content, real or synthetic.

ExampleA department photo with no patients in it.

Reply to reviews generically, by a person.

Example"Thank you for your feedback. Please contact our helpdesk."

Report any fake AI review you find about your hospital.

ExampleA takedown request to the platform, saved in the log.

Don't

Create AI patient testimonials.

ExampleAn AI-written five-star review posted under a made-up patient's name.

Create AI before and after or recovery images.

ExampleAn AI side-by-side of "before and after" treatment.

Fabricate outcomes or success rates with AI.

ExampleAn AI-made chart: "98% of patients recovered in a week."

Use AI to generate fake reviews or engagement.

ExampleBots posting AI-written comments to boost a post.

08

Health education visuals

cl. 5.1, 7.2, 8.2(iv)

Do

Use licensed or clinician-approved diagrams.

ExampleAn anatomy diagram from a licensed medical illustration library.

Show a reviewer and a review date.

Example"Reviewed by Dr. ___. Last updated October 2026."

If an AI-assisted visual is ever used for education, get Legal's view, label it and have a doctor check it.

Example"Illustration, AI-generated. Reviewed by Dr. ___."

Don't

Publish AI-made medical visuals that no doctor has checked.

ExampleAn AI heart diagram with the wrong chambers.

Use AI visuals that imply a result or a guarantee.

ExampleAn AI animation of a blocked artery cleared "in minutes."

Present AI images as real clinical photographs.

ExampleAn AI-made skin rash image labelled as a real case.

09

Patient data and privacy

cl. 7.2(d), 7.4, 7.6

Do

Keep patient names, records, scans and photos out of public AI tools.

ExampleUse an invented case in a prompt, not a real patient's report.

Use anonymised or invented data for internal AI work.

ExampleAnalyse website search queries, not patient records.

Use only tools your IT team or Data Protection Officer has approved.

ExampleAn approved-tools list kept by the Data Protection Officer.

Don't

Upload patient photos, scans or records to a public AI tool.

ExamplePasting a discharge summary into a chatbot to "write a story."

Feed patient material to an AI image or video generator.

ExampleUploading patient photos to make a "recovery" animation.

Share patient lists with an AI marketing vendor without consent and safeguards.

ExampleSending the patient database to a tool that writes personalised offers.

10

AI source mark and disclosure

cl. 7.2, 7.2(c)

Do

Treat the source mark as compulsory on any AI content that is ever cleared.

ExampleA clear on-image label: "Source: AI-generated."

Make the mark visible and readable.

ExampleLarge enough to read on a phone, not hidden in the caption.

Keep the mark on every repost and crop.

ExampleThe label stays on each resize, crop and reshare.

Log which assets used AI, with the tool, date and approver.

ExampleAn AI register: asset, tool, date, approved by.

Don't

Hide or bury the mark.

Example"AI" in tiny grey text on a busy image, or only in a hashtag.

Use the mark as permission to publish prohibited content.

ExampleAn AI "patient testimonial" labelled "AI-generated" is still not allowed.

Pass off AI content as real.

ExampleAn AI image of a ward posted as "our new ward."

11

Agency, tools and approval

cl. 4.4, 7.2, 8.1(xi)

Do

Tell your agency in writing that AI promotional content is frozen.

ExampleAn email and a contract clause: no AI-generated promotional assets without written approval.

Ask the agency to declare AI use on every deliverable.

ExampleA line on each delivery: "No AI tools used" or "AI used for ___."

Run every asset through the approval workflow.

ExampleMarketing drafts, the clinical head verifies, Legal checks, the Medical Director signs off, then publish and log.

Don't

Let an agency use AI tools on your behalf without telling you.

ExampleA reel delivered that was made with an AI video tool and not disclosed.

Rely on the agency to carry the responsibility.

ExampleAssuming "the agency made it" removes the hospital's responsibility.

Use AI to do indirectly what the hospital cannot do directly.

ExampleAn AI influencer promoting the hospital.

12

Where AI can still help

cl. 7.2 (conservative reading)

Do

Research and summarise public information internally.

ExampleSummarise a long NMC notice for the leadership team.

Draft outlines or alternative wordings for a human writer.

ExampleThree headline options, all rewritten by a person.

Analyse performance data that has no patient information.

ExampleGroup website search queries by topic.

Proofread and format human-written content.

ExampleA spelling and grammar check on a doctor-written article.

Don't

Publish AI output without human medical review.

ExamplePasting an AI draft straight into the website.

Treat "internal use" as cover for public AI promotion.

ExampleAn "internal draft" that goes live unedited.

Nothing matches. Clear the search or choose another area.

Instead of AI, use these

Each AI shortcut has a compliant replacement

A compliant replacement that still gets your hospital seen.

AI-made promo reel
A filmed facility walkthrough with no patients in frame
AI "patient" testimonial
Doctor-reviewed health education on the condition
AI doctor avatar
The real doctor's factual entry with credentials and registration number
AI banner: "Best Care"
A factual banner: department, timings and contact
AI before and after image
A licensed anatomy diagram and a "what to expect" explainer
AI stock "doctor" photo
A neutral, real ID-style photo, or none until Legal clarifies
Before any AI asset is used

Treat every AI request as frozen until it passes these steps

Promotional use stops at step 2.

1
Log the request
What is it, which tool, what purpose, and who asked.
2
Check the purpose
Internal, educational or promotional. Promotional AI stays frozen under cl. 7.2.
3
Clinical head verifies accuracy
Medical facts, doctor names, qualifications and registration numbers are checked by a person.
4
Legal gives a written opinion
Including the state Clinical Establishments Act, which prevails for hospitals.
5
Medical Director signs off
Final clinical sign-off before anything is scheduled.
6
Add the AI source mark, publish, log and archive
Only if cleared. Then audit live content every month.
Checklist

Eight rules for every AI request

A short checklist for the marketing team, the reviewing doctor and the agency.

Promotion stays human.
No AI-generated promotional video, images, graphics or copy.
Real over synthetic.
Use real photos and footage of real facilities and equipment.
No synthetic people.
No AI patients, doctors, voices, deepfakes or testimonials.
Label whatever is cleared.
The AI source mark is compulsory, visible and kept on every reshare.
A doctor reviews it.
Nothing medical is published without clinical review.
Patient data stays out.
Nothing identifiable goes into a public AI tool.
Log every AI use.
Asset, tool, date and approver, in one register.
The agency tells you.
Every deliverable declares whether AI was used.
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