Doctors can now refuse to treat abusive patients, says NMC

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Medical Council of India's (MCI) Code of Medical Ethics 2002, ANI reported. "The RMP who attends to the patient will be fully accountable for his actions and entitled to the appropriate fees. In case of abusive, unruly, and violent patients or relatives, the RMP can document and report the behavior and refuse to treat the patient.

Such patients should be referred for further treatment elsewhere," the notification read. “RMP is free to choose whom he will serve, except in case of a life-threatening emergency. Having accepted a case, the RMP should neither neglect the patient nor withdraw from the case without giving adequate notice to the patient and his family," the notification said as quoted by ANI.

It further added, “If a change of RMP is needed (for example, the patient needs a procedure done by another RMP), consent should be obtained from the patient himself or the guardian. The RMP who attends to the patient will be fully accountable for his actions and entitled to the appropriate fees." It also mentioned that doctors and their families can't receive any gifts, travel facilities, hospitality, cash or monetary grants, consultancy fee or honorariums, or access to entertainment or recreation from pharmaceutical companies, as per ANI reports. It is pertinent to note that the regulations do not include salaries and benefits that RMPs may receive as employees of these organizations.