The plenary meeting of the CFM (Federal Council of Medicine) announced on Tuesday (12) a significant update to the rules for medical advertising. The changes introduced by the new text open up new opportunities for health care providers to distribute their services.

CFM allows advertising of doctors – Photo: Unsplash/Disclosure/ND

According to the Council, updating the guidelines will allow, among other things, doctors to use social networks as a tool to promote their medical practice. In addition, the decree allows advertising of equipment available in workplaces, as well as the use of patient images or photo bank resources for educational purposes.

There are several similar cases on the Internet. Check:

@dr.josemauro

Anesthesiologist’s face ha ha ha #plastic surgery #plastic surgery #surgery #doctor #lipo #lovemedicine #medicine #aestheticmedicine #abdominoplasty

♬ Happy song – Mas Gombal

@brunobaroni_a

What it’s really like to be a doctor #doctor #plantao

♬ original sound – Bruno Baroni

@lulululusal

Part 1 | Sir, is your house made of stone? Hahaha, tiktok deleted ???? #medicina #medfamily #consultamedica

♬ Make a Vuk Vuk (Mirrored Ceiling) – MC Kevin or Chris and DJ NK DA SERRA

Patient Images

Under the new rules, images of patients can be used if they are educational in nature and meet the following criteria: the material must be related to the doctor’s specialty, and the photograph must be accompanied by educational text containing therapeutic indications. and factors that may negatively affect the result.

The image also cannot be manipulated or enhanced, and the patient cannot be identified. Before and after demonstrations should be presented along with images containing indications, satisfactory and unsatisfactory changes, and possible complications resulting from the intervention.

The new resolution also allows third parties to take birth photographs exclusively, to the exclusion of all other medical procedures.

When doctors use stock photos, they must indicate the origin and comply with copyright rules. If the photo is taken from the doctor’s personal file or from the institution where he works, he must obtain the patient’s permission for publication. However, the image must guarantee the anonymity of the patient.

graduate student

The text contains a special paragraph on how a doctor should disclose his qualifications. For example, lato sensu postgraduate professionals may advertise a course in the form of a summary followed by the word “non-specialist” in capital letters.

Only doctors who have completed a medical residency, are registered with the National Commission for Medical Residency, or have passed an examination conducted by a specialized society affiliated to the Brazilian Medical Association can declare themselves as specialists. In these cases, the doctor must provide an RQE (specialist qualification record) number.

Permissions

Thanks to the new rules, a doctor can, for example, show in photos or videos details of his work environment and his team, and disclose verifiable results of treatments and procedures, as long as he does not identify the patient.

The text emphasizes that the post should not be “derogatory, disrespectful, offensive, sensationalist, or inconsistent with the ethical obligations required by medicine to its institutions, other colleagues, specialties, or methods and procedures.”

In addition to publications, professionals may participate in promotional materials for the agencies, health plans, and insurance plans for which they work or provide services.