Regulations on Online Medical Consultation That Indian Doctors Need to Know

October 27, 2025 In Uncategorized

The Legal Framework That Protects Your Practice and Your Patients

Dr. Rajesh Kumar, a cardiologist from Mumbai, was thrilled when he started offering online consultations to patients across India and abroad. Within months, his practice expanded beyond state borders, reaching patients in the US, UK, and Middle East. But one day, he received a legal notice questioning his authority to prescribe medications to a patient in Karnataka while being registered only in Maharashtra. This wake-up call forced him to understand the complex regulatory landscape of telemedicine in India.

If you’re a doctor offering online consultations through platforms like StrongBody AI, understanding telemedicine regulations isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting your license, your reputation, and most importantly, your patients.

The Legal Foundation: India’s Telemedicine Practice Guidelines

For decades, telemedicine in India existed in a legal gray area. Doctors practiced it, patients used it, but there were no clear rules. This ambiguity ended in March 2020 when the Board of Governors, in supersession of the Medical Council of India, released the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines — officially incorporated as Appendix 5 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, giving statutory recognition to telemedicine practice (Government of India, 2020; Bhargava & Bashar, 2021).

The catalyst for these guidelines was a tragic case in the Bombay High Court where a doctor couple faced criminal negligence charges after prescribing medication over the phone without proper diagnosis, leading to a patient’s death from pulmonary embolism. The court’s verdict highlighted the urgent need for standardized telemedicine protocols.

Today, telemedicine is fully legal in India—but only when practiced according to these guidelines. Violations can result in professional misconduct charges, license suspension, or even criminal liability.

Who Can Practice Telemedicine in India?

Any Registered Medical Practitioner enrolled in the State Medical Register or the Indian Medical Register is eligible to provide telemedicine consultations. This is a significant advantage: you can consult patients from any part of India, regardless of where you’re physically located. This concept of “national portability” breaks geographical barriers and allows you to build a truly pan-India practice.

However, there’s an important caveat. If a complaint of misconduct arises, it will be lodged with the State Medical Council where you are located at the time of providing the consultation, not where the patient is located. This means you remain accountable to your home state’s medical council even when treating patients across the country.

The guidelines currently apply only to allopathic practitioners registered under the National Medical Commission Act. Dentists, Ayurvedic practitioners, and homeopaths have separate guidelines issued by their respective councils.

Types of Telemedicine Consultations You Can Offer

The guidelines recognize different modes of communication, all of which are permissible:

Video Consultations: The gold standard for telemedicine, allowing visual examination and better diagnostic accuracy. Video is mandatory for certain situations, particularly when prescribing medications for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, or asthma for the first time via telemedicine.

Audio Consultations: Telephone or voice calls are acceptable for follow-ups, refills, and situations where video isn’t necessary or available.

Text-Based Consultations: Messages, emails, or chat platforms can be used, though they have limitations in terms of the depth of consultation possible.

Asynchronous Consultations: Store-and-forward methods where patients send information, images, or reports, and you respond later. This is particularly useful for second opinions or specialist consultations.

The Doctor-Patient Relationship: Establishing Legitimacy

One of the most critical aspects of telemedicine is establishing a proper doctor-patient relationship. You must collect the patient’s personal details including name, age, address, contact information, and relevant medical history. Equally important, you must provide your credentials to the patient: your name, qualification, registration number, and contact details.

Both parties need to identify each other. The patient must have the means and opportunity to verify your credentials and registration. Technology platforms like StrongBody AI are required to display your name, qualifications, registration number, and contact details prominently, and must conduct due diligence before listing any practitioner.

Understanding Consent in Telemedicine

Consent works differently in telemedicine compared to in-person consultations:

Implied Consent: If the patient initiates the teleconsultation by calling you, booking an appointment, or sending a message, consent is implied.

Explicit Consent: If you initiate the consultation—for example, through outreach programs or follow-up calls—you must obtain explicit consent from the patient. This consent can be given via email, text, video, or audio, and you must retain a copy of such express consent along with the patient’s personal details.

What You Can and Cannot Prescribe: The Critical Distinction

This is where many doctors make costly mistakes. The guidelines categorize medications into specific lists with different prescription rules:

List O Drugs (Over-the-Counter): Common medications like paracetamol, antacids, and vitamin supplements can be prescribed freely via any mode of teleconsultation.

List A Drugs: Relatively safe drugs with low abuse potential can be prescribed for first-time consultations. These include many common antibiotics, antihistamines, and basic medications.

List B Drugs: These can be prescribed as refills for chronic conditions or as add-on medications to optimize existing treatment. For chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, or hypertension, you should avoid prescribing for the first time via teleconsultation unless it’s a refill of an earlier prescription obtained during an in-person consultation within the last six months.

Prohibited List: Here’s where you must exercise extreme caution. You cannot prescribe Schedule X drugs listed in the Drug and Cosmetic Act and Rules, or any narcotic and psychotropic substances regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. This includes drugs like morphine, codeine, clonazepam, and other habit-forming medications.

The case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput brought this into sharp focus when a doctor faced legal scrutiny for allegedly prescribing clonazepam through teleconsultation—a clear violation since clonazepam is on the prohibited list.

Remember: prescribing medications via telemedicine involves the same level of professional responsibility as face-to-face consultations. Prescribing without a provisional or appropriate diagnosis constitutes professional misconduct, whether the consultation happens in your clinic or through a screen.

Prescription Requirements and Documentation

Every prescription you issue must include your medical council registration number. You must provide the prescription to the patient via email, WhatsApp, or any electronic medium as a photo, scan, or digital copy of a signed prescription, or as an e-prescription.

You’re required to maintain proper medical records of all teleconsultations, just as you would for in-person visits. These records must include the patient’s details, your consultation notes, diagnosis, treatment plan, and prescription details.

When Telemedicine Is NOT Appropriate

The guidelines clearly state situations where telemedicine should be avoided or used with extreme caution:

Emergency Care: When alternative in-person care is available, telemedicine should be limited to first-aid, life-saving measures, or guidance until emergency services arrive. In true emergencies, direct the patient to the nearest hospital immediately.

First-Time Diagnosis of Serious Conditions: Complex or serious diagnoses generally require in-person examination. Use your clinical judgment, but err on the side of caution.

Situations Requiring Physical Examination: When you cannot make an appropriate diagnosis without physical examination, examination of body fluids, or diagnostic tests that cannot be performed remotely, you must refer the patient for in-person consultation.

Face-to-face consultation remains the gold standard of clinical care. Telemedicine should supplement, not replace, in-person care.

Data Privacy and Confidentiality

You must comply with all data protection laws and regulations relating to patient confidentiality. The Information Technology Act, 2000 and emerging data protection regulations in India require you to protect patient information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

If you use third-party platforms for communication, be aware that these platforms may have access to audio and video recordings of your consultations. Choose platforms that comply with healthcare data security standards.

You will be held liable for any breach of confidentiality, provided such violation was not due to a breach on the technological platform itself. This means you must take reasonable measures to ensure secure communication channels and proper storage of patient data.

StrongBody AI uses Stripe for payment processing, which means the platform doesn’t store patient card information. Stripe handles all sensitive financial data with the highest financial industry security standards, including OTP authentication for all transactions. This protects both you and your patients from data breaches.

The Cross-Border Challenge: International Patients

Here’s where things get complicated. The Indian Telemedicine Practice Guidelines allow you to practice across India, but they don’t specifically address consultations with patients located outside India or consultations with Registered Medical Practitioners outside Indian jurisdiction.

The World Health Organization has acknowledged 15 cross-border legalities involved in telemedicine service provisions. Different countries have different regulations:

United States: Generally requires doctors to be licensed in the state where the patient is located. Some exceptions exist for peer-to-peer consultations or asynchronous telemedicine.

European Union: Multiple initiatives exist to promote telemedicine, but there’s no common legal framework. Some countries require doctors to be licensed in their own jurisdiction rather than the patient’s.

Middle East and Singapore: Have developed their own comprehensive telemedicine guidelines with varying requirements.

If you’re consulting international patients through platforms like StrongBody AI, you’re operating in a regulatory gray area. The safest approaches include:

Providing second opinions or peer-to-peer consultations rather than direct patient care
Limiting services to health information, wellness coaching, or nutritional advice rather than medical diagnosis and prescription
Ensuring patients understand you’re licensed to practice in India and may not be licensed in their jurisdiction
Consulting with legal counsel about specific country requirements if you plan to serve significant numbers of patients from particular countries

Many doctors on global platforms focus on health education, lifestyle medicine, yoga instruction, nutritional guidance, or wellness coaching for international patients, reserving diagnosis and prescription for Indian patients where their legal authority is clear.

Professional Liability and Legal Protection

You must uphold the same professional and ethical norms and standards in telemedicine as in routine in-person consultations. All principles and regulations relating to medical ethics apply equally.

If you’re found guilty of professional misconduct through telemedicine, you face the same penalties as in-person violations:

Disciplinary action by your State Medical Council
Suspension or cancellation of your medical license
Civil liability for negligence
Criminal liability for gross negligence
Consumer protection complaints

The burden of proof for maintaining the standard of care falls on you. Document everything thoroughly: your consultation notes, the advice you provided, prescriptions issued, and any instructions for follow-up or referral.

Technology Platforms: Requirements and Responsibilities

If you’re using platforms like StrongBody AI to reach patients, understand that these platforms have specific responsibilities under the guidelines:

They must verify you’re a Registered Medical Practitioner
They must display your name, qualifications, registration number, and contact details
They must report any misconduct or non-compliance to the Board of Governors
Platforms based solely on artificial intelligence or machine learning cannot be used for consultations or prescribing medicines, though AI can assist you in your decision-making

The platform is required to ensure secure communication and data protection, but you remain ultimately responsible for the quality of care you provide.

Practical Steps to Stay Compliant

1. Verify Your Registration: Ensure your State Medical Council registration is current and active. Display your registration number on all prescriptions and communications.

2. Use Secure Platforms: Choose telemedicine platforms that comply with data security requirements and clearly display your credentials.

3. Document Everything: Maintain detailed records of all teleconsultations, including date, time, mode of consultation, patient details, consultation notes, diagnosis, and treatment plan.

4. Know Your Limits: Understand which drugs you can and cannot prescribe. When in doubt, refer for in-person consultation.

5. Obtain Proper Consent: Especially when you initiate consultations, ensure you have documented consent.

6. Stay Updated: Telemedicine regulations continue to evolve. The National Medical Commission may issue updated guidelines or training requirements.

7. Consider Insurance: Professional indemnity insurance that covers telemedicine is increasingly important.

8. Be Transparent About Limitations: Clearly communicate to patients when telemedicine is not appropriate and when they need in-person care.

The Future of Telemedicine Regulation in India

The current guidelines are evolving. Areas that need further clarification include:

Cross-border consultation regulations
Reimbursement by insurance companies for telemedicine services
The role of AI and machine learning in diagnosis
Research and educational aspects of telemedicine
Telemedicine for surgical procedures or remotely operated interventions

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India issued guidelines in June 2020 advising insurers to allow telemedicine wherever consultation with a medical practitioner is allowed in policy contracts, which is a positive step toward mainstreaming telemedicine.

The government has also launched eSanjeevani, India’s flagship web-based national teleconsultation portal, demonstrating commitment to integrating telemedicine into the public health delivery system.

Making Telemedicine Work for You on StrongBody AI: Your Safest Gateway in a Complex Regulatory Landscape

Understanding these regulations isn’t just about avoiding legal trouble—it’s about building a sustainable, ethical, and profitable telemedicine practice. In a world where telemedicine regulations vary drastically across borders and violations can cost you your license, choosing the right platform isn’t just a business decision—it’s a professional safeguard.

This is where StrongBody AI becomes your most critical ally. Unlike generic video calling apps or social media platforms where doctors often conduct informal consultations, StrongBody AI is purpose-built to help you navigate the complex regulatory maze while maximizing your earning potential.

Why StrongBody AI Is Your Safest Choice for Regulatory Compliance

Credential Verification and Display: StrongBody AI fulfills the mandatory requirement under Indian telemedicine guidelines that platforms must verify you’re a Registered Medical Practitioner and prominently display your name, qualifications, registration number, and contact details. This isn’t optional—it’s legally required. Many generic platforms don’t provide this infrastructure, leaving you vulnerable to compliance violations.

Secure, Documented Consultations: Every interaction on StrongBody AI is documented and timestamped, creating the paper trail you need if ever questioned about your practice. The platform maintains records of when consultations were initiated, by whom, and the mode of communication used—critical evidence for demonstrating proper consent procedures.

Payment Security That Protects Everyone: With Stripe integration supporting over 50 currencies across 46 countries, StrongBody AI ensures every financial transaction meets international banking security standards. The platform doesn’t store patient card information—Stripe handles all sensitive data with OTP authentication for every transaction. This protects you from data breach liability while ensuring seamless payments from global clients. When payments are secure and transparent, disputes decrease dramatically.

Built-In Consent Management: The platform’s structure naturally aligns with consent requirements. When patients initiate bookings or requests through StrongBody AI, implied consent is automatically documented. When you use the Active Message feature to reach out proactively, the system helps you obtain and record explicit consent—protecting you from one of the most common compliance pitfalls.

Geographic Segmentation Made Simple: StrongBody AI’s category system and service description framework allow you to clearly differentiate what you offer to Indian patients versus international clients. You can create separate service listings: “Complete Medical Consultation (India Only)” versus “Wellness Coaching & Health Advisory (Global).” This clarity protects you legally while maximizing your market reach.

AI-Powered Patient Matching: The platform’s intelligent matching system connects you with patients whose needs align with your expertise and what you can legally provide. This reduces the risk of being contacted for services outside your scope or jurisdiction—a common problem on open-ended platforms.

Dedicated Support for Compliance: StrongBody AI’s support team understands healthcare regulations and helps you optimize your profile and service descriptions for both conversion and compliance. They’re not just helping you sell—they’re helping you sell safely and legally.

The Strategic Advantage: Positioning Yourself Correctly Across Markets

Platforms like StrongBody AI connect you with millions of high-paying users from developed countries who value quality healthcare and are willing to pay premium prices for expert consultation. But the key is positioning yourself correctly within the regulatory framework:

For Indian Patients: You have full authority to diagnose, treat, and prescribe within the telemedicine guidelines. This is where your medical license has complete power. Leverage the national portability that Indian regulations provide to serve patients across all states—from Kerala to Kashmir, from Gujarat to Guwahati. Create service packages for:

Initial consultations with diagnosis and treatment plans
Chronic disease management for diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disorders
Prescription refills for established patients
Follow-up consultations for ongoing treatment
Second opinions for diagnoses made elsewhere

Price these services appropriately. Remember, you’re saving patients travel time, waiting room hours, and the hassle of taking time off work. A ₹2,000-4,000 consultation fee is entirely reasonable for specialized expertise delivered conveniently.

For International Patients: This is where strategic positioning becomes crucial. You cannot practice medicine in the legal sense for patients in the US, UK, EU, or other countries without being licensed there. However, you can provide immense value through:

Health Education and Information: Create premium content about managing specific conditions, understanding symptoms, interpreting test results, or navigating treatment options. Position this as educational, not diagnostic.

Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching: Focus on evidence-based lifestyle medicine—nutrition plans, exercise protocols, stress management techniques, sleep optimization strategies. These don’t require a medical license in the patient’s country.

Nutritional Guidance: Detailed meal planning, supplement advice, dietary strategies for various health goals. Nutrition coaching is often unrestricted across borders.

Yoga and Mind-Body Medicine: If you have training in yoga, meditation, or integrative medicine, these services have huge international demand and minimal regulatory barriers.

Second Opinions and Peer Consultation: You can review medical records, test results, or imaging studies and provide your professional perspective as an educational second opinion, clearly stating that implementation should be done with the patient’s local physician.

Medical Tourism Coordination: Help international patients understand if and when they should travel to India for treatment, what procedures are available, expected costs, and recovery timelines. Once they’re physically in India, you can treat them fully under Indian regulations.

For international clients, price in euros or dollars. A comprehensive health assessment and wellness plan might be €197-497. A detailed second opinion package might be €297-697. These clients are accustomed to paying $200-500 for similar services in their home countries, so your pricing should reflect the premium value you provide while remaining competitive.

For All Patients: Build trust through radical transparency about your qualifications, what you can and cannot do via telemedicine, and when in-person care is necessary. This transparency doesn’t weaken your authority—it strengthens it. Patients respect doctors who clearly communicate boundaries and prioritize their wellbeing over making a sale.

On your StrongBody AI profile, explicitly state:

Your qualifications and areas of specialization
Your registration details (making compliance visible builds trust)
What services you can provide remotely versus what requires in-person care
Your approach to emergencies (always direct to local emergency services)
Your consultation process and what patients should prepare
Clear pricing with no hidden fees

The Competitive Edge: Why Compliant Doctors Win Long-Term

Here’s what many doctors miss: in the short term, cutting corners on regulations might seem profitable. But one complaint, one adverse outcome, one legal notice can destroy everything you’ve built. Your medical license is your most valuable asset—worth millions over your career. Protecting it is paramount.

StrongBody AI gives you the infrastructure to practice telemedicine compliantly while still building a highly profitable global practice. You’re not choosing between compliance and profit—you’re choosing sustainable profit over risky shortcuts.

Patients increasingly research doctors online before booking. They read reviews, check credentials, and assess professionalism. Doctors who operate transparently within regulatory frameworks build reputations that command premium pricing and generate referrals. Those who operate in gray areas might make quick money, but they build fragile practices on unstable foundations.

Moreover, as telemedicine regulations tighten globally—and they will—platforms like StrongBody AI that prioritize compliance will be the survivors. Doctors established on these platforms will have first-mover advantage in a regulated, mature telemedicine marketplace. Those operating on non-compliant platforms may find themselves suddenly without a channel to reach patients.

Your Action Plan

Start your compliant telemedicine practice today:

Step 1: Sign Up for Your Seller Account
Visit strongbody.ai, click “Sign Up,” and select “Seller.” Enter your email, create a secure password, and add a referral code (optional). Check your email to get OTP Code and verify account to activate.

Step 2: Complete Your Professional Profile
At the top menu of StrongBody AI Homepage, in “Seller Dashboard”, go to “Profile Settings” and fill in:

Personal Information: Shop name, profession (e.g., doctor, nutritionist), category (e.g., wellness, medical), country, shop link, “About” section, CV, and payment methods (e.g., Stripe).
Experience & Education: Add skills, education, certifications (e.g., medical degree, yoga certificate), and also a gallery with a professional headshot and relevant images.

Step 3: Post The First Listing To Sell It On StrongBody AI
Still in the “Seller Dashboard” page, go to “Shop Management” > “My Services/My Products” > “Add New Service/Product.” Enter the name, category, and benefits. Upload a high-quality cover/thumbnail image. Click “Create Your Service/Product” on the right. Tips: Target your audience, highlight problems solved, and show results

Step 4: Publish Your First Blog Post
In “My Blogs,” click “Add New Blog.” Enter a title (e.g., “5 Tips for Better Sleep”), select a category, upload a thumbnail, write your content, and click “Publish.”

Step 5: Set Up Your Personal Store
In “Shop Management,” customize your store to offer services and products that align with client wellness needs.

Step 6: Respond to Buyer Requests
Go to “Requests” in the Seller Dashboard. Browse client inquiries and submit tailored offers for jobs matching your skills.

Step 7: Share Your Shop
Share your unique shop link on social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram). Post about your journey and create engaging content about your services.

Step 8: Attend the Shop to Reply to Customers
Check your shop regularly for messages. Respond promptly to client inquiries using StrongBody’s chat feature for seamless communication.

Launch Your Global Business
Register at strongbody.ai, follow these steps, and start connecting with clients worldwide in just 5 minutes. Your expertise deserves a global audience—get started today!

Remember Dr. Rajesh from the beginning of this article? After understanding these regulations, he restructured his telemedicine practice. He now clearly differentiates between full medical consultations for Indian patients and health advisory services for international clients. He documents everything meticulously, uses secure platforms, and has built a thriving practice serving patients across India and providing wellness guidance globally—all while staying fully compliant with regulations.

Telemedicine represents the future of healthcare delivery in India. With one doctor for every 1,445 Indians and vast disparities between urban and rural healthcare access, telemedicine can help bridge these gaps. By understanding and following the regulations, you protect yourself legally while expanding access to quality healthcare for patients who need it most.

The opportunity is enormous. Platforms like StrongBody AI give you access to millions of potential patients willing to pay for expertise. But this opportunity comes with responsibility—the responsibility to practice ethically, legally, and with the same standard of care you would provide in person.

Are you ready to build a compliant, profitable telemedicine practice that serves patients across borders while protecting your professional reputation? The regulations are clear, the platforms are ready, and the patients are waiting.

Start your compliant telemedicine practice on StrongBody AI today. Your expertise deserves a global audience—and global patients deserve your expertise, delivered responsibly and legally.