Should live streaming of operations be allowed in India? NMC seeks comments from the Medical Community

New Delhi: Should surgeries be telecast live? and – The National Medical Commission (NMC) has now put this question to various healthcare shareholders and the general public.

In a recent communication, the Apex Medical Commission disclosed the controversial issue of live surgery and sought comments from all investors and the public to hear their views on live streaming from private hospitals.

The move comes in response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking directions to regulate the direct referral of surgeries without informed consent of patients, which could put their lives at risk. The lawyer representing the petitioner informed the Court of Appeal that the surgeon performing the operations also advertised products such as stents for use in patients.

In a public notice dated January 23, 2024, the Ethics and Registration Committee of the NMC referred to a petition filed in the Supreme Court in which the petitioner found that many private hospitals exploit patients commercially and use them as models to fulfill his ulterior motives surgery via live broadcasts at conferences.

“Various companies promote themselves and profit from the misery of used patients. Advertising sponsorship and professional hosting obscure the real purpose of these shows. Healthcare providers demonstrate their skills, surgeons demonstrate their skills, and companies promote their products at the expense of patient safety. Pre-recorded surgical videos adapted to meet educational needs can achieve the same goals with far less risk,” the petition stated.

To make the decision, the apex medical body also formed an expert committee to make recommendations on live broadcasts and solicit comments from stakeholders and the public on live broadcasts of patient surgical procedures in private hospitals. next 10 days.

Surgical Debate:

“Life surgery” has become a huge debate since last year’s Supreme Court appeal challenging the ethical and legal implications of life-saving surgical procedures with petitioners. to Virat Kohli commenting on it.

During the hearing, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, referred to a news report about the death of a patient whose operation was aired and said that in some cases people from lower economic strata are lured to be cremated.

 Considering the arguments, the Supreme Court asked the center and others for answers and announced that it would submit the matter to the NMC.

Immediately after the Supreme Court session, the case caused mixed reactions. While one faction of the medical fraternity believes that live surgeries are indeed risky and pose a serious threat to patient safety because the surgeons who perform them annoy many, there is another group that believes that this type of surgery is an integral part of medical surgery. Training and one of the best ways to train young doctors in various surgical procedures.