To assure the steady delivery of medical services through Covid-19, NITI Aayog and The Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India released Telemedicine Guidelines on the same day as the lockdown announcement in India, 25th March 2020. Under these guidelines Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) were allowed to extend consultation services through online platforms and doctors could also prescribe medication based on voice, video, or textual conversations. The government also listed certain drugs that could not be prescribed via telemedicine and needed in-person consultation.
While the guideline mandates a patient’s consent to share their data, it doesn’t delve deep into the privacy issues surrounding online healthcare and telemedicine standards. Launched in a rush to meet the demands of the population, these guidelines need further refinement and reform to address ethical concerns about data protection. Nevertheless, this go-ahead acted as a catalyst for many healthcare startups to strengthen their areas of service and attract more investments.