The Regulation on Promotion and Information Activities in Health Services Has Been Published

Gizem Şimşek co-authored this article.

The Regulation on Promotion and Information Activities in Health Services (“Regulation”), published in the Official Gazette dated 12 November 2025 and numbered 33075, sets out detailed rules governing promotion and information activities carried out by healthcare professionals, private healthcare institutions, and international health tourism intermediary institutions. The Regulation places the advertising prohibition at its core and permits promotion/information activities only within specific principles and criteria.

Below is a summary of the main provisions introduced under the Regulation.

A. Key Amendments Introduced by the Regulation

Strengthened Advertising Ban: Explicit and implicit advertising in health services is strictly prohibited. Promotion is allowed only for informational purposes and within a narrowly defined framework by authorised healthcare professionals.

Strict Standards for Visual Content: Before–after visuals, surgical images, and all types of patient-related photographs and videos are subject to detailed technical and ethical conditions.

Restrictions on Patient Stories and Testimonials for Domestic Use: Such content may only be used within the scope of international health tourism and subject to specific conditions, including obtaining explicit consent.

Ban on Discounts, Campaigns and Promotions: No fee, discount, campaign or similar marketing elements may be included in domestic promotion. Certain exceptions apply for international health tourism promotions.

Limited Sponsored Promotion for Newly Opened Healthcare Facilities: Sponsored promotion may be carried out within one month following the opening, provided it complies with the Regulation.

Restrictions on Targeting and Social Media Settings: Institutions sharing content within the scope of international health tourism must disable targeting towards individuals residing in Türkiye.

Accelerated Supervision and Enforcement: Violations may be promptly referred to the Advertisement Board, public prosecutors’ offices, and access-blocking mechanisms.

B. Permitted and Prohibited Activities Under the Regulation

This section sets out the main boundaries for compliance with the Regulation.

1) Permitted Activities

- Sharing basic information regarding the healthcare facility (address, contact details, working hours) and authorised specialisations.

- Providing non-directive information aimed at protecting and improving health.

- Sharing academic titles, trainings and certifications registered by the Ministry.

- Sponsored promotion for newly opened healthcare facilities within one month following their opening.

- Foreign-language content on platforms targeting audiences abroad within the scope of international health tourism. 

2) Prohibited Activities

- Any form of advertising (explicit or implicit).

- Statements directing patients to a particular physician or healthcare institution.

- Announcements of fees, discounts, campaigns or promotions.

- Promotion of treatment methods lacking scientific basis.

- Promotional claims asserting superiority of devices, products or services.

- Images relating to surgical procedures.

- Sharing thank-you notes or testimonial content (fully prohibited for domestic audiences).

- Using third-party accounts for promotional activities.

C. Fundamental Principles for Social Media Posts

The Regulation considers social media to be the medium with the highest promotion risk and imposes the following obligations:

Disabling Interactions: Visuals that imply advertising through thank-you or testimonial expressions may not be used; comments, likes and shares must be disabled for such posts.

Technical Requirements for Before–After Images: Such images must be taken under identical conditions; the procedure date and image date must be indicated; no filters, editing, makeup or manipulation may be applied.  Additionally, for domestic posts, the following warning is mandatory:

“Outcomes of any surgical or interventional procedure may vary from person to person. It is recommended that you consult your physician for a detailed assessment prior to the procedure.”

Testimonials and Thank-You Content: Completely prohibited for domestic promotion. Within international health tourism, patient stories, comments and thank-you messages may be shared on platforms targeting foreign audiences, provided patient confidentiality, public morality and patient rights are respected and explicit consent is obtained.

Sponsored Content: Newly opened healthcare facilities may publish sponsored content within one month following their opening, provided such content complies with the Regulation.

Compliance with these principles is mandatory in all social media and online promotion activities; both those who share and those who disseminate such content bear equal responsibility.

D. Special Provisions for International Health Tourism Activities

The Regulation establishes a separate framework for promotional activities carried out within the scope of international health tourism—one that is more flexible yet still subject to strict limitations.

Accordingly, on platforms targeting audiences abroad, it is permissible to conduct sponsored promotion in languages other than Turkish, provide information relating

to health tourism, and share patient stories and testimonials (subject to explicit consent and confidentiality requirements), as well as discount, campaign and competitive pricing announcements.

However, promotional targeting must not be directed at individuals residing in Türkiye; automatic targeting settings must be disabled; the “HealthTürkiye” logo must be used across all promotional and informational media; and the name, title and URL address appearing on the healthcare facility’s website must be consistent with the licence issued by the Ministry.

E. Sanctions

In cases of non-compliance with the provisions of the Regulation, administrative sanctions set out in Annex-2 are imposed on healthcare facilities and international health tourism intermediary institutions pursuant to Article 11 of the Additional Provisions of Law No. 3359.

Individuals who publish or disseminate advertisements related to organ or tissue procurement are reported to the Office of the Public Prosecutor in accordance with the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237.

For physicians and dentists employed in public institutions, the relevant provisions of Law No. 1219 are applied, and the matter is referred to their institutions and professional bodies for disciplinary proceedings.

With respect to other healthcare professionals (excluding physicians and dentists), the matter is submitted to the Ministry of Trade for evaluation under Law No. 6502.

When promotional activities related to unauthorized or unlicensed healthcare services are identified, the Advertising Board is notified and a criminal complaint is filed with the Public Prosecutor. For online and social media content that endangers human health, an access ban is requested under Law No. 5651, and if the act constitutes a crime, the prosecutor's office is notified.

In cases of violation of privacy-related provisions, sanctions are imposed under Law No. 6698 and the relevant legislation.

Effective Date

The Regulation enters into force on the date of its publication.  The provisions of the Regulation shall be executed by the Ministry of Health, and the Regulation on Promotional and Informative Activities in Healthcare Services, published in the Official Gazette dated 29 July 2023 and numbered 32263, has been repealed. Any references made to the repealed regulation shall be deemed to have been made to this Regulation.

Accordingly, it is important for institutions to promptly align their processes—particularly those concerning digital content and the use of visual materials—with the new regulatory framework.