NMC forms panel to look into questions on live broadcast of surgeries

The lawyer said live broadcasts of surgical procedures posed a huge risk to patients under the knife.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has constituted a committee to assess the implications of live broadcast of surgeries, the issue of consent of patients agreeing to undergo such procedures, and the claim that advertisements by corporate hospitals are the main motivation behind it. The various aspects of live surgeries will be debated upon and assessed, Dr Yogendra Malik, Member Ethics and Medical Registration Board of NMC said on Thursday.

The decision was taken during the 12th meeting of the NMC held during the day. He said the NMC has approved the formation of a committee to draft regulations as per NMC Act 2019 to streamline the process of counselling and avoid delays and seat blocking. The committee will do wider consultations with all stakeholders, including states and state counselling agencies. The Supreme Court in October had sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea raising legal and ethical questions over live broadcast of surgical procedures, with the petitioners likening it to Virat Kohli batting and commentating at the same time.

The bench had said it will leave the issue to be considered by the NMC. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, said surgeries are being performed live with several people watching and asking questions of the doctors conducting the procedure. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, said surgeries are being performed live with several people watching and asking questions of the doctors conducting the procedure.

The lawyer said live broadcasts of surgical procedures posed a huge risk to patients under the knife. He referred to a news report about the death of a patient whose surgery was being broadcast live, and said, in some cases, people from the lower economic strata are persuaded to agree to it. The petitioners have claimed advertisements and sponsorships were the main motivations for conducting such procedures.