NMC Issues Guidelines for Live Surgery Broadcasts
- 29 Jul 2025
On 26 July 2025, The National Medical Commission (NMC) released detailed guidelines to regulate the conduct and broadcast of live surgeries, prioritising patient safety and ethical medical education while discouraging commercial interests.
Key Points
- Ban on Promotion: Live surgeries must not promote individual surgeons, hospitals, or commercial brands. Surgeons must not have financial interests in the equipment or devices used.
- Prefer Recorded Demonstrations: Recorded surgical videos, cadaveric dissections, wet lab, and simulation-based procedures are preferred to minimize patient risk.
- Patient Selection Criteria: High-risk patients, those with incomplete investigations, or unique anatomical complexities should not be chosen. Financial incentives for patients are strictly prohibited.
- Informed Consent: Must be obtained by the operating surgeon or team with full disclosure. Patients retain the right to withdraw their consent at any time.
- Insurance & Risk Management: Patients may be covered under insurance, but must be clearly informed about its scope. Any complications arising must be managed at no cost to the patient.
- Surgeon Conduct: Surgeons must avoid two-way interactions during the procedure. Only step-wise commentary is allowed and should be restricted to educational contexts.
- Ethical Responsibility: Surgeons are expected to uphold professional standards and remain involved in the patient’s care for at least 24 hours after the procedure.
- Educational Purpose Only: Live broadcasts must strictly serve academic and educational purposes. Glorification or commercial use is strictly forbidden.
- Content Storage: Unedited footage of the live surgery must be securely archived for a minimum of two years, unless extended due to legal reasons.
