Marketing Ethics in Healthcare: Balancing Growth and Patient Trust
Ethical healthcare marketing builds patient trust and brand credibility. Learn how hospitals in India can grow responsibly through marketing ethics, empathy, and compliance.
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September 8, 2025
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The Alarming Numbers We Can’t Ignore
Every few minutes in India, someone is diagnosed with diabetes. Some experts now call India the “Diabetes Capital of the World”, a title no nation wants. The numbers are staggering:
- India currently has over 90 million adults living with diabetes, and another 38 million remain undiagnosed (International Diabetes Federation, 2025).
- By 2045, the number is projected to cross 150 million if urgent steps are not taken.
- Nearly 50% of patients do not know they are diabetic until severe complications like kidney failure, vision loss, or cardiovascular disease force them into hospitals.
- According to the World Health Organization, diabetes and its complications contribute to over 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide, with India bearing one of the heaviest burdens.
This is not just a health crisis, it is an economic and social one. A recent Lancet study estimated that the average Indian household spends 15–25% of its monthly income on diabetes management when complications set in. In rural areas, this burden often pushes families into debt. Clearly, diabetes is more than a medical condition. It is a public health emergency that requires awareness, access, and sustained action.
The Problem: What Do Diabetic Patients Really Face?
Managing diabetes in India is not simply about taking medicines. Patients face challenges at every step of their journey:
1. Late Diagnosis
In India, more than half of people with diabetes remain undiagnosed until advanced stages. By then, lifestyle changes or early medical interventions are less effective.
2. Limited Access in Rural Areas
Urban India has specialist diabetologists and diagnostic facilities, but rural and semi-urban India still struggles with limited healthcare infrastructure. For millions, consulting a diabetologist means traveling several hours and spending heavily on transport.
3. High Costs of Medicines & Tests
While generic medicines are available, most patients prefer branded drugs but these come with a high price tag. Add to this the cost of regular blood tests and monitoring, and managing diabetes becomes unaffordable for many middle-class families.
4. Poor Lifestyle Support
Managing diabetes is not just about medication. It requires consistent lifestyle changes dietary adjustments, exercise, stress management. Yet, most patients have no structured support to make these changes sustainable.
5. Missed Follow-Ups & Self-Medication
Due to work, stigma, or cost pressures, many patients skip follow-ups. Some even self-medicate, leading to poorly controlled blood sugar and severe long-term complications.
6. Mental & Emotional Stress
Diabetes often brings anxiety, depression, and guilt, which go unaddressed. The lack of integrated mental health support worsens patient outcomes.
Put simply: the system is fragmented, and patients fall through the cracks. This is where innovation becomes not just helpful, but necessary.
The Solution: Defeat Diabetese and Its Vision
Meet Dr. Prakash Kurmi – The Visionary Behind Defeat Diabetese
After decades of treating thousands of diabetic patients at Shivam Hospital, Ahmedabad, Dr. Prakash Kurmi saw one recurring problem: patients were not failing treatment, the system was failing patients.
He noticed that awareness was low, access to specialists was unequal, and lifestyle support was practically missing. Rural patients in particular had almost no chance of receiving quality, continuous care.
This drove him to launch Defeat Diabetese India’s first comprehensive hybrid diabetes care ecosystem with a bold mission: to make expert, affordable, and holistic diabetes care available to every Indian, anytime, anywhere.
What Does the Defeat Diabetese App Offer?
The Defeat Diabetese platform is more than just an app it’s an integrated ecosystem:
- Expert Consultations – Online and offline access to top diabetologists without long waiting times.
- Affordable Medicines – Branded medications at up to 30% savings, delivered at patients’ doorsteps.
- Diagnostics & Lab Tests – Home sample collection services for convenience and accessibility.
- Personalized Nutrition & Fitness – Structured diet and activity plans designed by experts.
- Mental Health Support – Counseling and behavioral guidance for long-term motivation.
- 24/7 Digital Access – A patient-friendly app to log sugar levels, track medications, receive reminders, and access educational tips.
This hybrid model, where technology powers access but human experts remain at the core has the potential to transform how India manages diabetes.
The Impact: Small Steps, Big Vision
Though Defeat Diabetese is still in its early years, its vision is ambitious and inspiring.
- 100,000+ patients already impacted through Dr. Kurmi’s practice and the platform.
- A goal to reach 10 million people by 2030.
- Plans to cut patient costs by 40%, while improving long-term health outcomes.
- A growing network of affiliate doctors and centres, enabling rural penetration.
Impact today is not just about numbers, it is about building the foundations of a sustainable care model that will expand nationwide. Every new registration, every camp, every affiliated doctor adds to this momentum.
The Role of HMS Consultants in This Journey
At HMS Consultants, we strongly believe in supporting healthcare innovations that have the power to transform lives. When we first engaged with Defeat Diabetese, we were struck by its clarity of purpose and inclusivity of vision.
We see Defeat Diabetese not just as a client, but as a movement worth amplifying.
A Call to Action: Join the Movement Against Diabetes
Diabetes doesn’t just affect individuals, it affects families, workplaces, and communities. Defeat Diabetese is building a national network of awareness, access, and care. But no movement succeeds alone.
Here’s how you can be part of it:
- For Individuals & Families: Download the Defeat Diabetese App today, book your consultation, and take control of your health journey.
- For Doctors & Healthcare Professionals: Join as an affiliate partner and extend these benefits to your patients and community. Register Here
- For Corporates & Institutions: Host an awareness lecture or screening camp at your organization, and empower your employees with preventive care.
- For Everyone: Share this blog. Awareness is the first step towards change.
Together, we can ensure that India doesn’t just live longer but lives healthier.
Diabetes is a race where being late has consequences. The earlier we act, the stronger the future we build. At HMS, we are proud to mentor and support Defeat Diabetese in its mission to Catch Diabetes Before It Wins.
Because in the fight against diabetes, every patient gained is a life saved.
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