Bahrain has recorded 20 violations related to medical advertisements on social media since 2022, as authorities step up monitoring of doctors’ online promotional activities.
Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed confirmed that the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) has intensified oversight to ensure medical advertising complies with ethical and professional standards, particularly amidst the rapid expansion of social media platforms.
Her comments came in a written response to a parliamentary question submitted by Shura Council woman and child committee chairwoman Ejlal Bubshait, who raised concerns about doctors promoting services and products in ways that may violate the Law No (7) of 1989 governing the practice of human medicine and dentistry.
Dr Al Sayyed stressed that Bahraini law is clear in prohibiting doctors from engaging in any form of inappropriate advertising or promoting pharmaceutical or medical equipment companies.
“These regulations are designed to protect the dignity of the medical profession and to safeguard members of the public from inaccurate, misleading or unethical medical claims,” she said.
‘Maintaining trust between patients and healthcare providers is an absolute priority.”
Articles 21, 22 and 26 of the 1989 law explicitly ban doctors from advertising themselves in a manner inconsistent with the ethics of the profession and from revealing any confidential information obtained during their practice.
To enforce these requirements, the NHRA has established a specialised internal committee dedicated to approving and monitoring all health-related advertisements before or after they are published.
Dr Al Sayyed described the committee as a ‘critical safeguard’ for public health.
“It examines every claim made in a medical advertisement, verifies scientific accuracy, checks licensing, and ensures compliance with national laws,” she explained.
“No advertisement should reach the public unless it is fully aligned with scientific and ethical standards.”
The committee’s responsibilities include:
- Verifying healthcare practitioners’ licences.
- Ensuring pharmaceutical products and medical devices are licensed.
- Authenticating medical claims through reliable scientific evidence.
- Monitoring advertisements on print, broadcast and social media.
- Reviewing adverts to confirm they match the doctor’s approved specialty.
A comprehensive guide to health advertising, published on the NHRA website, is intended to help doctors and healthcare facilities understand and comply with the rules.
Between 2022 and 2025, the NHRA documented 20 violations, all of which occurred on social media platforms. These ranged from doctors advertising services outside their approved specialty to publishing content that breached professional advertising regulations.
Dr Al Sayyed said the violators were sent official notifications requiring them to remove the non-compliant advertisements and correct their status.
“All individuals involved complied with the authority’s directives,” she confirmed.
“Our aim is corrective, not punitive – we want to guide practitioners towards proper standards.”
Recognising the challenges posed by the fast-evolving digital landscape, the ministry is expanding its public education initiatives.
“We are preparing targeted awareness content for both healthcare practitioners and members of the public,” Dr Al Sayyed said.
“It is essential for the community to understand what constitutes misleading health information and how to report it.”
The NHRA has also created a dedicated email address for reporting suspected violations, reinforcing transparency and encouraging public participation.
According to the minister, future health events and conferences will include sessions on responsible advertising and digital professionalism, ensuring that the issue remains high on the sector’s agenda.
Dr Al Sayyed reaffirmed the Health Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with the Shura Council and other legislative bodies.
“Protecting the public from misleading medical information is a shared responsibility,” she said. “We value our partnership with the legislative authority and remain committed to upholding the highest standards of healthcare in Bahrain.”
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))