With an aim to address various issues of professional conduct of registered medical practitioners (RMP), the National Medical Commission (NMC) has prepared Draft Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2022 and has sought comments from the public before finalising it. The last date to send the comments is June 22.
The proposed new regulations aim to address issues including their duties and responsibilities, continuing professional development programs, prescribing generic medicine, prohibition of commission, restriction on advertisement, responsibilities regarding drugs and medical reports among others.
Apart from these, the regulations have also specified about the duties of RMPs towards their patients, responsibilities of RMPS towards each other, their duties towards the public and allied healthcare professionals.
For instance, as per the guidelines, marketing and increasing visibility in medical consultation apps available in the market has not been allowed while doctors returning from foreign universities where MBBS is mentioned or equivalent as MD, cannot be mentioned the same in India unless FMGE is completed and MD degree is obtained separately in the country.
Ayurvedic medicine doctors have been prohibited from conducting allopathy treatment and the viceversa while for telemedicine practice, written consent is a must (digital signature).
The issue of professional misconduct has also been addressed in these regulations. It describes the procedure for a complaint of professional misconduct, manner of inquiry into the complaint, manner of inquiry into the complaint, prohibition of review of the order, power of the SMC/EMRB, delay in decision, etc.
The draft regulations also aim to address the guidelines for practicing telemedicine in the country including the scope technology used for telemedicine, framework for telemedicine, guidelines for technology enabling telemedicine, responsibilities NMC, etc.