Google Business Profile Under the NMC Guidelines (2026): What Clinics Can Publish

TL;DR

• The NMC's Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication (6 October 2026) treat search-engine and platform-based communication as advertising when it promotes (para 3.2). A Google Business Profile description, Google Posts, photos and review replies all fall inside that net when they promote a hospital, clinic or doctor.
• What a clinic may publish: factual, objective and verifiable information such as name, location, contact, departments, facilities, equipment, services, emergency services, accreditation status and charges (para 8.3), plus factual details of its doctors (para 9.1).
• What it may not: outcome promises (Explanation II), "best", "No.1", "top" or "most trusted" claims (para 8.1(ix)), comparisons, offers and free procedures (para 8.1(x)), testimonials and before-after images (paras 8.1(v), 8.1(xi)), and promotional portrayal of an individual doctor (para 8.3).
• Reviews: a clinic may ask all its patients for genuine feedback, with no incentives and no gating. Fake, paid or manipulated reviews are barred (Explanation V; para 8.1(xii)). Review replies must never disclose patient information (para 7.4).

Updated 8 October 2026 to the National Medical Commission's Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners (public notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, dated 6 October 2026, in force immediately). Paragraph numbers in this article refer to those guidelines. General information, not legal advice.

Every hospital, clinic and registered medical practitioner (RMP) in India is covered by the NMC's October 2026 advertising guidelines, and that does not switch off on Google Business Profile (GBP). For the full rules, see the complete guide to the NMC advertising guidelines 2026; for what an institution may say about itself across channels, see hospital and clinic advertising under the guidelines. This page covers GBP specifically.

A common assumption is that Google is a marketing platform, not a clinical one, and sits outside the rules. It does not. The guidelines cover digital, sponsored, search-engine and platform-based communication when it is promotional (para 3.2), and publishing through an agency does not shift responsibility away from the clinic or doctor (para 4.4). Information given in the normal course without promotional intent, such as opening hours or a holiday closure, is exempt (Explanation I).

A description that promises outcomes, a Google Post claiming the "highest success rates in the city", or a review reply that confirms a patient relationship all carry regulatory risk. Unlike a signboard, digital content is indexed, easy to find and attributable. Most of the problems we see in GBP audits at intake are unintentional, and all are correctable. This guide is the correction framework.

Section 1 — The five categories of content to keep off GBP

1.1 Outcome promises

Factual information on services, equipment and diagnostics is allowed, but not with guaranteed-outcome or guaranteed-accuracy claims (para 3.2, Explanation II). Para 8.1(vi) also rules out creating unrealistic expectations or hiding risks.

Examples of outcome language to remove:

• "We cure back pain in 3 sessions"
• "Our IVF programme delivers a baby for 70% of couples"
• "Guaranteed pain relief after knee replacement"
• "LASIK that gives you 6/6 vision"
• "Acne treatment that clears your skin in 4 weeks"

The compliant alternative: describe what is done and what is available.

• "Pain management combining physiotherapy, interventional pain procedures and lifestyle modification"
• "IVF following ICMR-recommended protocols, with an in-house embryology laboratory"
• "Total knee replacement surgery for advanced arthritis of the knee"
• "LASIK laser vision correction, with consultation and pre-operative assessment"
• "Medical and procedural acne management"

The prohibited version promises a result. The compliant version describes the service and leaves outcomes to the consultation.

1.2 Superiority claims

Para 8.1(ix) bars "best", "No.1", "leading", "most trusted", "top" and "unmatched" claims unless objectively verifiable with a disclosed methodology, and it binds hospitals as well as doctors. Para 8.1(iii) adds "best doctor", "100% success" and "painless".

Examples to remove:

• "Delhi's best cardiologist"
• "India's most trusted IVF centre"
• "Number one dermatologist in Bengaluru"
• "Top-rated orthopaedic hospital in Maharashtra"
• "The only clinic in India with [technology]"

The compliant alternative: factual, verifiable statements.

• "Cardiology department: Dr [Name], DM Cardiology, Reg. No. [SMC/NMR number]"
• "IVF centre operating since [year], with a dedicated embryology laboratory"
• "Dermatology clinic: acne, pigmentation and hair-loss consultations"
• "NABH-accredited hospital with a joint replacement department"
• "Equipped with [specific device] for [specific procedure]"

1.3 Comparative claims

Comparative claims are excluded from permitted factual information (Explanation II).

• "Better outcomes than corporate hospitals"
• "Unlike other clinics, we..."
• "Why patients choose us over [hospital name]"

The compliant alternative: describe your own practice without reference to anyone else, for example "Consultant-led care, with the same consultant at each follow-up visit".

1.4 Testimonials, patient stories and before-after images

RMPs may not use promotional cases, before-after photos, celebrity patients or success stories (para 8.1(v)) or patient testimonials (para 8.1(xi)). Patient consent does not make a prohibited testimonial or before-after image lawful (para 6.2). An RMP may not request or share testimonials or reviews for professional promotion on social media (Explanation V).

On GBP this means: do not turn reviews into Google Posts, do not upload before-after photos or patient photographs, and do not caption images with outcomes. Patients' own reviews are their words; the clinic's job is to leave them as they are and reply carefully (see below). For the detail, see patient testimonials and before-after photos under the guidelines.

1.5 Offers and inducements

Para 8.1(x) bars discounts, offers, coupons, cashback and free procedures used as inducements, and requires price disclosure to be factual. It binds hospitals as well as doctors. GBP "Offer" posts for clinical services ("Free consultation this week", "20% off laser packages") should not be used. Factual charges, stated plainly, are permitted information (para 8.3).

Section 2 — Field-by-field GBP compliance guide

Business name field

Google's own guidelines prohibit keyword-stuffed names, and the NMC guidelines rule out the claims that usually get stuffed in.

Not acceptable in the name field:

• "Dr Sharma — Best Knee Replacement Surgeon Delhi"
• "Priya IVF — Highest Success Rate IVF Centre Gurgaon"
• "Skin Glow Clinic — Guaranteed Acne Treatment Mumbai"

Compliant name formats: "Dr Sharma Orthopaedic Clinic", "Priya IVF Centre", "Skin Glow Dermatology Clinic". The name must match your signage and legal registration. Nothing more.

Business description (750 characters)

The description is where most problems accumulate, and it also matters for GBP relevance. Build it from the para 8.3 list of factual information.

Compliant description structure:

1. What the clinic is (specialty, departments)
2. Services and conditions treated, in patient language
3. Facilities and equipment, factually
4. Accreditation status and registrations
5. Doctors named with qualifications and registration numbers (Explanation IV), if named at all
6. Contact and timings

Example compliant description (IVF clinic): "Fertility and reproductive medicine centre. Consultant: Dr [Name], MD Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine, Reg. No. [SMC/NMR number]. Services: IVF, IUI, egg freezing, PGT-A, donor programmes and male infertility evaluation. In-house embryology laboratory. NABH-accredited. Registered under the ART (Regulation) Act 2021. Appointments: [phone]."

Google Posts

Posts are the highest-risk area because they are written quickly, often by non-clinical staff, without review.

Post checklist (run before every post):

• Does the post make an outcome claim? → Rewrite (Explanation II; 8.1(vi))
• Does it use "best", "top", "No.1", "highest", "guaranteed" or "painless"? → Rewrite (8.1(iii), 8.1(ix))
• Does it compare us with another provider? → Remove the comparison
• Does it include patient-identifiable information or case details? → Remove (7.4)
• Does it offer a discount, free service or other inducement? → Do not post (8.1(x))
• Does it include a before-after image or a patient review as promotion? → Do not post (8.1(v), 8.1(xi))
• Does it promote an individual doctor? → Rewrite around the department or service (8.3)
• Was any text or image AI-generated? → Add a source mark (7.2)

Post formats that fit the guidelines:

• Health-awareness content (World Heart Day, Diabetes Awareness Month), under para 5.1 and Explanation I
• New service or equipment, stated factually: "We have added a [device] for [procedure]" (Explanation II)
• Formal announcements such as a change of address, new timings, a doctor's absence or resumption of practice (paras 8.2(ii) and 9.3)
• Patient education ("what to expect at a first IVF consultation")
• Operational updates ("extended OPD hours this month", "new location")

Photos

Use photographs of the facility, equipment and signage without patients. Do not upload patient photographs, case images or before-after pairs (paras 7.4, 8.1(v)); where any image could identify a person, identifying features must be blurred or cropped (para 6.4). A doctor's photograph is not permitted where it constitutes self-advertisement (para 9.2), so keep doctor images out of promotional posts.

Asking for reviews

No RMP or institution may solicit, purchase, procure or manipulate fake, paid or misleading reviews or ratings (Explanation V), and para 8.1(xii) bars manipulation of reviews, ratings and rankings. Our position: a hospital or clinic may ask all its patients for genuine feedback. That means no incentives of any kind, no gating (asking only the patients you expect to be happy), no review targets for the front desk, and no requests made by or for an individual doctor on social media. Google's own policies point the same way. More in Google reviews and the NMC guidelines.

Review responses

Two sets of rules apply to every reply:

The NMC guidelines: no outcome claims and no superiority claims in replies. "We're glad our treatment resolved your [condition]" is an outcome claim in a public forum. Identifiable patient data must not be disclosed (para 7.4).

DPDP Act 2023: a reply that confirms the reviewer was a patient, refers to their clinical situation or includes anything from their visit discloses personal data. The guidelines require communication to follow the DPDP Act and its 2025 Rules (para 7.6).

The safe response framework:

1. Thank the reviewer for sharing their experience, without confirming they are a patient
2. Acknowledge the sentiment without adding clinical context
3. For negative reviews, say the experience is not what you aim for and invite them to contact you privately
4. Keep replies at experience level: "we're glad your experience was positive", not "we're glad the treatment worked"

Template — positive review response: "Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're glad you felt comfortable and well-supported. — [Clinic name] team"

Template — negative review response: "Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience did not meet the standard we aim to provide. Please contact us directly at [phone/email] so we can understand your concerns and work toward a resolution. — [Clinic name] team"

Section 3 — Content audit framework

Our GBP compliance audit covers twelve elements. Use it as a self-audit checklist:

Section 4 — Red Cross emblem (compliance note)

Do not use the red cross emblem anywhere in GBP photos, the name or the logo. In India the emblem is protected under the Geneva Conventions Act 1960, which gives effect to the Geneva Conventions, and private healthcare providers may not use it commercially.

This is one of the most overlooked issues in Indian healthcare branding, and it shows up directly in signage photographs on GBP.

On listings ICG manages through Angryturtle, descriptions, Google Posts and review replies go through a compliance review before they go live.

Sources:

• NMC Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners, public notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics, 6 October 2026 — nmc.org.in
• Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002 — nmc.org.in
• Geneva Conventions Act 1960 — Government of India
• DPDP Act 2023 — meity.gov.in
• NMC Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020 — nmc.org.in

Internal links:

• Local SEO for Healthcare — Complete 2026 Guide
• Google Business Profile Management Services
• Google Review Management — How Reviews Drive Rankings
• GBP Optimization Guide 2026
• DPDP Act 2023 Healthcare Compliance