Adherence to NMC guidelines may help docs with ethics, quality: Experts

New Delhi: Doctors must follow the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines, to keep up with medical ethics and quality, said experts here at National Health Writers & Influencers Convention (NHWIC-2024) held at AIIMS, New Delhi.

Eminent experts from the fields of medicine, healthcare, and innovation at the two-day event highlighted the need for following the NMC guidelines, which were issued in 2023 but have been kept in abeyance due to legal challenges, to ensure ethical and quality medical practice in India.

The NMC guidelines aim to regulate the medical education and profession in India, and mandate the use of generic medicines, which should be at par to the specific drugs in terms of quality and efficacy.

Dr Girish Tyagi, Registrar-Delhi Medical Council urged the doctors to read and adhere to the NMC guidelines, which are meant to protect the doctors and the patients from malpractice and negligence.

“The NMC guidelines are a comprehensive and updated set of rules and regulations that cover various aspects of medical practice, such as teachers’ eligibility qualifications, registration of medical practitioners, licentiate examinations, and professional conduct. They also mandate the use of generic medicines, which can reduce the cost of treatment and increase the accessibility of drugs to the masses. The government should think and ensure that the generic medicines are not substandard or counterfeit, as they can compromise the treatment outcomes and increase the risk of drug resistance,” said Tyagi, who is also President Elect-Delhi Medical Association.

Dr Sunil Khetarpal, Director - Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI) emphasised the need for informed consent from the patients before any medical intervention.

“Informed consent is not only a legal requirement, but also a moral obligation. It ensures that the patients are aware of the benefits and risks of the procedure, and that they have the right to refuse or withdraw consent at any time. According to a study, 50 per cent of cases of surgeries happen due to lack of consent, which can lead to complications, litigation, and loss of trust,” he noted.