'Digital rehabilitation law': Nagaland University proposal targets AI-led care; telemedicine to boost addiction care

MUMBAI: At a time when India’s drug addiction crisis is deepening even as access to care remains uneven and stigmatised, researchers at Nagaland University have put forward a proposal that seeks to reframe rehabilitation for the digital age.

Scholars from the university’s Department of Law have advanced the idea of a ‘Digital Rehabilitation Law’ — a forward-looking legal framework that integrates artificial intelligence, telemedicine and mobile health technologies into the country’s addiction recovery ecosystem.

The proposal emerges from a comprehensive doctrinal study that examines how India’s existing legal architecture could be retooled to support technology-driven rehabilitation models. The researchers argue that conventional rehabilitation systems have, for decades, struggled with limited reach, chronic understaffing and social stigma, leaving large sections of those in need without sustained support. In this context, they position rehabilitation not as an adjunct, but as a central pillar of national public health and drug policy.

The research was undertaken by Dr. Rumi Dhar and Ms. Tania Anya of the Department of Law, Nagaland University, and has been published in the KDU Law Journal, a peer-reviewed publication of the Faculty of Law at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka, indexed internationally in HeinOnline. One of the earliest legal analyses of its kind in India, the study focuses on law and policy rather than clinical outcomes, mapping how ethical technology adoption could reshape addiction recovery.

Commending the work, Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice Chancellor of Nagaland University, underscored the broader role of universities in addressing complex social challenges. “I congratulate our researchers for proposing the innovative concept of a Digital Rehabilitation Law, which explores how ethical AI integration can strengthen India’s drug addiction recovery ecosystem. This work reflects Nagaland University’s commitment to socially relevant research that upholds patient rights, expands access to care, and supports evidence-based policymaking. I am confident that such forward-looking scholarship will contribute meaningfully to national dialogues on public health and technological governance,” he said.

The study evaluates the compatibility of key Indian statutes — including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023), the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines (2020), and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (1985) — with emerging digital rehabilitation tools. While acknowledging the promise of AI-driven relapse prediction models and virtual counselling platforms, the researchers flag significant legal gaps around privacy protection, informed consent, algorithmic transparency and accountability.

Elaborating on the findings, Dr. Rumi Dhar said, “This study is both unique and urgently relevant. Our proposed legislative model of a ‘Digital Rehabilitation Law’ will harmonize India’s current legal provisions to support safe, ethical and tech-enabled addiction treatment. The research underscores that while technology can significantly improve access to rehabilitation, particularly for rural and underserved communities, robust legal safeguards must protect patient rights and dignity.”

Ms. Tania Anya outlined concrete policy recommendations flowing from the analysis. “Our key recommendations include establishing a National Digital Rehabilitation Regulatory Authority, amending the NDPS Act to formally recognise digital rehabilitation pathways, launching pilot programs for AI- and telemedicine-based interventions and implementing nationwide training to improve digital literacy among healthcare providers and patients,” she said.

Drawing on global examples, the study highlights how mobile health tools and digital platforms have already improved recovery outcomes elsewhere. App-based interventions such as Australia’s Daybreak and peer-support networks like Sober Grid demonstrate how everyday technologies can strengthen motivation, community engagement and long-term adherence. International models using AI-powered relapse prediction in the United States and European Union further illustrate how early alerts can enable timely clinical intervention.

Telemedicine frameworks like Project ECHO and Vermont’s hub-and-spoke model are cited as evidence that digitally connected specialists can extend consistent care to remote regions. The researchers argue that integrating similar architectures into India’s national platforms, including e-Sanjeevani, could dramatically expand access to supervised addiction treatment — if supported by a clear, rights-based legal framework.

Taken together, the proposal positions digital rehabilitation not as a technological shortcut, but as a carefully governed public health intervention — one that blends innovation with accountability, and access with dignity.