Get go-ahead before advertising, doctors told

Check before advertising your services, doctors have been warned.
Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said they should get clearance from the Medical Advertisement Board before publishing information about their profession, speciality and other details.
Dr Ismail, who is also the Malaysian Medical Council president, said a booklet would soon be available at all hospitals and clinics, detailing the do’s and don’ts regarding advertisements.
"It’s more of do’s rather than don’ts," he said after launching Medical Grape- vine, a magazine for medical practitioners published bi-monthly by Optima Multimedia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Ezyhealth Asia Pacific Ltd here today.
He said although the MMC had announced recently that doctors were allowed to advertise, many were still cautious and reluctant.
"They can provide information about themselves, qualification, where they work and their speciality," he said, adding that they can also place their photographs in the advertisement in newspapers, pamphlets or websites.
"Tourists who come to the country should be able to go to the websites and get information as to which hospitals, doctors and facilities they require," he said.
He said the green light for doctors to divulge information was also to promote medical tourism.
source