Choosing a healthcare marketing agency in Bangalore was always a trust decision. Since 6 October 2026, it is also a licensing decision. The NMC’s new advertising guidelines state plainly that publishing through an agency does not absolve the doctor or institution of responsibility. If your agency posts something non-compliant on your page, the consequences land on your registration, not their contract.
So here are the questions to ask any agency before you sign, including us.
1. “Show me your compliance process.”
Not “are you compliant”, which everyone answers yes to. Ask to see the actual checklist their content passes before publishing. If they cannot produce one, they do not have one. Under the new guidelines, the checklist needs to cover testimonials, before-after imagery, superlatives, discounts, AI-generated content, engagement buying and the new disclosure requirements, at minimum.
2. “What disclosures will my posts carry?”
Electronic media posts should now disclose the doctor’s name, qualifications, registration status and register number. An agency that has not already built this into their caption templates has not read the notice.
3. “How is your fee structured?”
The guidelines prohibit arrangements where payment is connected to procuring or referring patients, including lead-generation fees. A flat monthly retainer is clean. Per-patient or per-lead pricing now creates regulatory exposure for you. Walk away from anyone proposing it, whatever they call it.
4. “What will you report every month?”
The right answer involves inquiries and appointments, tracked honestly, with no outcome guarantees. Be suspicious of both extremes: agencies that report only likes and reach, and agencies that promise you specific patient numbers, which no one can honestly promise and the rules would not let them advertise anyway.
5. “Who writes the medical content, and who approves it?”
Scripts should be written by people who understand medical accuracy, checked against the advertising rules, and approved by you in writing before filming. You are responsible for the claims in your content; an agency that publishes without your documented approval is spending your licence.
6. “Do you use AI to generate content?”
AI-generated promotional campaigns are prohibited, and synthetic voices or manipulated imagery are banned outright. The acceptable role for AI is behind the scenes, as a drafting and research aid, with every final script human-written and every published asset being real footage of a real doctor. Get their AI policy in writing.
7. “Can I speak to a current client?”
Still the oldest filter and still the best one. Note that under the new rules, the agency should not be parading client testimonials in its own healthcare marketing either; a private reference call is the honest version.
The pattern behind all seven
You are not hiring a content vendor anymore. You are appointing someone to operate inside your regulatory perimeter. The agencies that welcome these questions were already working this way. The ones that get defensive were the risk you were trying to detect.
General information, not legal advice. Based on the NMC public notice dated 06/10/2026.