The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) has raised serious concern over the growing trend of doctors promoting skincare, wellness, and even unrelated commercial products on social media, an activity that violates the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) ethics code, which prohibits medical practitioners from endorsing any brand or product. Senior members of the association warn that many doctors unintentionally cross ethical lines by appearing in reels with visible brand labels, writing captions that imply recommendations, offering discount codes, tagging companies, or presenting product suggestions as patient advice.
This rise in influencer-style promotions has prompted IADVL to release detailed social media etiquette guidelines for doctors, stressing that endorsements, whether explicit, subtle, or disguised as “educational content”, can lead to…
