The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) has launched a strict crackdown against individuals and medical facilities using the "Doctor" title without legal authorization. According to an urgent notice issued on Thursday by the NMC's Acting Registrar, Dr. Dipendra Pandey, a policy of zero tolerance will now be enforced against deceptive medical advertisements and the fraudulent use of professional titles.
The council clarified that only practitioners formally registered with the NMC, or those legally granted the title via the relevant Council Act, are authorized to prefix "Dr." to their names. This administrative move follows a rise in reports of non-medical personnel misusing the designation across hospitals, private clinics, counseling centers, and digital platforms to treat patients and prescribe drugs.
Under the new mandate, all non-qualified individuals must strip the "Doctor" prefix from their official papers, prescription pads, signboards, business cards, and social media profiles within a 15-day window. The NMC explicitly noted that holding an academic degree containing the word "doctor" from a domestic or international university does not grant an automatic legal right to practice medicine independently in Nepal.
Failure to comply with these orders will trigger severe legal repercussions under the Nepal Medical Council Act, 1963 (2020 BS). Violators face potential penalties including up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 3,000 rupees, or both.
A specialized monitoring unit is scheduled to deploy immediately after the two-week deadline lapses to conduct physical and digital audits. Individuals found continuously exploiting the title or delivering unauthorized medical care will be referred directly to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
