Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to vcdoc.in. By accessing, registering on, or using the vcdoc platform - including our website, mobile application, and all associated services - you agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms"). Please read them carefully before proceeding.

These Terms apply to all users of the platform, whether you are an individual patient, a caregiver accessing services on behalf of a patient, a registered healthcare professional, or a representative of an organisation such as a hospital or clinic. If you are using vcdoc on behalf of an organisation, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organisation to these Terms.

If you do not accept these Terms, you must immediately cease use of the platform. Continued access to any part of vcdoc.in constitutes your acceptance of these Terms and any updates made to them.

These Terms should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Cancellation & Refund Policy, all of which are incorporated herein by reference (see Section 21).

2. Description of Services

vcdoc is an integrated digital healthcare platform providing the following services:

3. Eligibility

To use the vcdoc platform, you must:

• • Be at least 18 years of age. Minors (under 18) may use the platform only under the supervision of, and with the explicit consent of, a parent or legal guardian, who assumes full responsibility for the minor's use of the platform;
• • Be a patient, caregiver, registered healthcare professional, or authorised representative of a partner institution seeking or providing healthcare services;
• • Provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date registration information;
• • Not be prohibited from accessing or using digital healthcare services under any applicable law of India or the jurisdiction from which you are accessing the platform;
• • Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

vcdoc reserves the right to refuse registration or access to any user who does not meet these eligibility criteria.

4. User Accounts and Registration

To access vcdoc's services, you must create a registered account. By registering, you agree to:

• • Provide accurate, truthful, and complete information during registration and keep such information always updated;
• • Keep your account credentials (username and password) strictly confidential and not share them with any third party;
• • Notify vcdoc immediately at harshavardhan@vcdoc.in of any unauthorised access to, or suspected breach of, your account;
• • Be solely responsible for all activities conducted through your account, whether authorised by you;
• • Not create more than one account per individual without prior written consent from vcdoc.

vcdoc reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts in cases of false registration information, violations of these Terms, or conduct that is harmful to users, healthcare professionals, or the platform. Suspension or termination does not affect obligations and liabilities accrued before the date of termination.

5. Medical Disclaimer

IMPORTANT - Please Read Carefully

vcdoc is a technology platform that facilitates access to healthcare services. vcdoc is not a medical services provider, hospital, clinic, or pharmacy and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

• • Consultations conducted through the platform are between patients and independent, licensed Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs). vcdoc facilitates but is not a party to the doctor-patient relationship.
• • In accordance with the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020, RMPs on the platform will assess the appropriateness of teleconsultation for each patient. Certain conditions or emergencies may require in-person examination and cannot be managed via telemedicine.
• • No guarantee is made regarding medical outcomes. The standard of care and quality of clinical advice is the sole responsibility of the treating healthcare professional.
• • Information and content on the platform are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or altering any medical treatment.
• • In case of a medical emergency, contact emergency services (112) or visit the nearest hospital immediately. vcdoc is not designed for emergency medical situations and must not be used as a substitute for emergency care.
• • Teleconsultations have inherent limitations. Clinical decisions made via telemedicine are based on information provided by the patient; the accuracy and completeness of such information is the patient's responsibility.

6. e-Pharmacy Terms

The following terms apply specifically to vcdoc's e-Pharmacy services, which are operated in compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Pharmacy Practice Regulations, and applicable state pharmacy rules:

• • Valid prescriptions issued by a licensed RMP are mandatory for ordering Schedule H, Schedule H1, Schedule X, and all prescription-only medicines. Orders for such medicines will be rejected without a valid prescription.
• • Orders may be declined at the sole discretion of vcdoc or the dispensing pharmacy partner in cases of invalid, unclear, incomplete, or suspected fraudulent prescriptions.
• • Dispensing and delivery of medicines are handled by licensed pharmacy partners. vcdoc is a technology intermediary and is not the dispensing pharmacist.
• • Users are solely responsible for the accuracy of prescriptions submitted and for ensuring that medicines ordered are appropriate for their condition as confirmed by their treating RMP.
• • Availability, pricing, and delivery timelines may vary depending on location, stock availability, and partner pharmacy capacity. Estimated delivery timelines are indicative only.
• • Self-medication and purchase of prescription-only medicines without a valid prescription are strictly prohibited and may constitute an offence under applicable law.
• • Returns and refunds for medicines are governed by the Cancellation & Refund Policy and applicable pharmacy regulations. Opened or partially used medicines may not be eligible for return due to safety regulations.

7. Healthcare Professional Terms

This section applies to Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs), specialists, and other licensed healthcare professionals who use the vcdoc platform to provide consultation or clinical services.

7.1 Registration and Verification

• • All RMPs must provide valid registration details issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC), a State Medical Council, or the relevant statutory body governing their profession.
• • vcdoc will verify professional credentials before activating a healthcare professional account. Providing false or misleading credentials is grounds for immediate termination and may be reported to the relevant medical council.
• • Healthcare professionals are responsible for maintaining valid registration and notifying vcdoc immediately of any suspension, cancellation, or restriction imposed on their licence to practise.

7.2 Clinical and Ethical Obligations

• • RMPs on the platform remain bound by the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, ethics guidelines, and the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020 at all times.
• • RMPs must exercise independent clinical judgement. vcdoc does not direct or supervise clinical decisions.
• • RMPs must obtain informed consent from patients before each consultation and must assess whether telemedicine is clinically appropriate for the presenting complaint.
• • Digital prescriptions issued through the platform must comply with the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines 2020 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

7.3 Indemnity

Healthcare professionals indemnify vcdoc against any claims, losses, or regulatory actions arising from their clinical acts, omissions, or breach of professional obligations while using the platform.

8. e-Diagnostics Terms

The following terms apply to vcdoc's e-Diagnostics services:

• • Diagnostic tests are conducted exclusively by NABL-accredited and/or NABH-certified partner laboratories. vcdoc does not perform tests directly and is a technology intermediary facilitating bookings and report delivery.
• • Test results are shared securely through the platform and are accessible only to the patient and authorised healthcare providers involved in the patient's care.
• • vcdoc is not responsible for errors in diagnostic results caused by factors outside our control, including improper sample collection by the patient, laboratory processing errors, or equipment failure at partner labs. Claims regarding test accuracy must be directed to the relevant partner laboratory.
• • Users must follow all pre-test instructions (e.g., fasting requirements, medication restrictions) provided at the time of booking. Failure to comply may invalidate test results, and re-testing costs will be borne by the user.
• • Diagnostic reports are for the exclusive use of the patient and the ordering physician. Misuse, alteration, or redistribution of diagnostic data is strictly prohibited and may constitute an offence under applicable law.
• • Diagnostic services are subject to the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 and applicable state clinical establishment rules.

9. Electronic Health Records (EHR)

By using the vcdoc platform, you consent to the creation, storage, and management of Electronic Health Records in accordance with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare EHR Standards 2016.

• • Your EHR is accessible to you and to healthcare providers directly involved in your care on the platform. Access is governed by Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
• • You have the right to request a copy of your EHR at any time in a structured, interoperable format. Where ABDM/ABHA integration is enabled, records may be exported in FHIR-compliant format.
• • Integration with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and linkage of your Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is entirely optional and requires your separate, explicit consent. ABDM-linked records are governed by the ABDM Health Data Management Policy in addition to these Terms.
• • vcdoc employs robust technical and organisational security measures to protect EHR data. Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials.
• • Health records will be retained as required by applicable medical regulations and vcdoc's Data Retention Policy (detailed in the Privacy Policy), with a minimum retention period of three (3) years and typically five (5) years or more for clinical records.
• • In the event you close your account, your health records will be retained for the legally required minimum period and then securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Prohibited Conduct

Users of vcdoc must not:

• • Upload false, misleading, or fraudulent medical information, prescriptions, or identity documents;
• • Impersonate a healthcare professional, patient, or any other individual or entity;
• • Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the platform, other user accounts, or any health data;
• • Use the platform for any illegal purpose, including drug misuse, unauthorised distribution of medicines, or health fraud;
• • Engage in any conduct that disrupts, overbur dens, or impairs the platform's infrastructure or interferes with other users' access;
• • Reproduce, distribute, sublicense, or commercially exploit any platform content, software, or data without prior written authorisation from vcdoc;
• • Circumvent, disable, or tamper with security, authentication, or access-control mechanisms;
• • Use automated tools, bots, web scrapers, or data-mining software on the platform without prior written consent from vcdoc;
• • Harass, threaten, or abuse healthcare professionals, staff, or other users of the platform;
• • Submit fake reviews, ratings, or testimonials regarding healthcare professionals or services;
• • Use the platform to collect personal or health data about other users without authorisation.

vcdoc reserves the right to immediately suspend or terminate access and to take appropriate legal action, including reporting to law enforcement or regulatory authorities, against users engaging in prohibited conduct.

11. Intellectual Property

All content, branding, software, features, and technology on the vcdoc platform, including logos, text, graphics, user interface designs, and underlying code, are the exclusive intellectual property of vcdoc or its licensors and are protected under the Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

You are granted a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the platform solely for your own lawful healthcare purposes. Nothing in these Terms transfers any intellectual property rights to users.

Any unauthorised reproduction, distribution, modification, or commercial exploitation of vcdoc's intellectual property may result in termination of your account and civil or criminal action under applicable Indian law.

12. Payment and Billing

• • Consultation fees, pharmacy charges, and diagnostic test fees are displayed at the time of booking and are subject to change without prior notice, except for confirmed bookings.
• • Payments are processed through PCI-DSS compliant, third-party payment gateways. vcdoc does not store full payment card details.
• • All fees are inclusive of applicable taxes (GST) unless otherwise stated.
• • Refunds for consultations are subject to our Cancellation & Refund Policy. Refunds for medicines and diagnostic tests are governed by the policies of the respective licensed partners and applicable regulations.
• • In the event of a payment dispute, users must contact support@vcdoc.in within seven (7) days of the relevant transaction. vcdoc will investigate and respond within fifteen (15) business days.
• • vcdoc reserves the right to pursue recovery of any amounts owed through available legal remedies.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019:

• • The platform shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of data, revenue, or goodwill, arising from your use of or inability to use our services.
• • Total aggregate liability for any claim under or in connection with these Terms shall be limited to the amount actually paid by you for the specific service giving rise to the claim, within the three (3) months immediately preceding the date of the claim.
• • vcdoc does not warrant that the platform will operate uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components. Scheduled and emergency maintenance may result in temporary unavailability of services. We will endeavour to provide advance notice of planned downtime where practicable.
• • vcdoc is not liable for the clinical acts or omissions of independent healthcare professionals, partner laboratories, or pharmacy partners operating on or through the platform.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless vcdoc, its directors, officers, employees, partners, affiliates, and service providers from and against all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, penalties, and reasonable legal fees arising out of or related to:

• • Your use of or access to the platform;
• • Your violation of any provision of these Terms;
• • Your violation of any applicable law, rule, or regulation of India;
• • Your infringement of any third-party right, including intellectual property rights or privacy rights;
• • Any false or inaccurate information you have provided to vcdoc or to healthcare professionals through the platform.

15. Modifications to Terms

vcdoc reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated to registered users via email and/or a prominent notice on the platform at least fourteen (14) days before the changes take effect, except where changes are required by law, regulation, or court order, in which case they may take immediate effect.

Your continued use of the platform after the effective date of the revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not accept the revised Terms, you must cease use of the platform and may request account deletion.

16. Termination

vcdoc may suspend or terminate your access to the platform at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms or applicable laws. Upon termination, your right to use the platform ceases immediately.

You may terminate your account at any time by submitting a written request to harshavardhan@vcdoc.in. Termination of your account does not affect your outstanding obligations, and your health records will be retained for the legally required minimum period.

The following sections shall survive any termination of these Terms: Section 11 (Intellectual Property), Section 5 (Medical Disclaimer), Section 13 (Limitation of Liability), Section 14 (Indemnification), Section 15 (Governing Law), and Section 20 (General Provisions).

17. Grievance Redressal

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, IT (SPDI) Rules 2011, Rule 5(9), the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, vcdoc has designated a Grievance Officer to address user complaints and concerns.

If your grievance relates to a clinical matter, you may also approach the relevant State Medical Council or the National Medical Commission (NMC).

18. Force Majeure

vcdoc shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from causes beyond vcdoc's reasonable control, including but not limited to:

• • Acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, or public health emergencies declared by competent authorities;
• • Government orders, regulatory restrictions, or actions of public authorities;
• • Power failures, internet service disruptions, or failure of telecommunications infrastructure;
• • Cyberattacks, denial-of-service attacks, or malicious third-party interference;
• • Industrial action or labour disputes affecting third-party service providers.

In the event of a force majeure event, vcdoc will notify users as soon as reasonably practicable and will endeavour to restore services at the earliest opportunity. Users seeking urgent medical attention during a platform outage must contact emergency services (112) or visit the nearest healthcare facility.

19. General Provisions

19.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found by a court or arbitral tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or if modification is not possible, shall be severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

19.2 Waiver

No failure or delay by vcdoc in exercising any right or remedy under these Terms shall constitute a waiver of that right or remedy. A waiver of any breach shall not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other provision.

19.3 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Cancellation & Refund Policy (as referenced in Section 21), constitute the entire agreement between you and vcdoc with respect to your use of the platform and supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings relating to the same subject matter.

19.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer any rights or obligations under these Terms without vcdoc's prior written consent. vcdoc may assign its rights and obligations under these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, provided that the acquiring entity assumes these Terms in full.

20. General Provisions

The following documents form part of your agreement with vcdoc and should be read in conjunction with these Terms:

21. Contact Information

For any questions, feedback, or legal notices regarding these Terms, please contact:

Appendix: Key Indian Legislation Referenced