# MD Panel — Sourcing Brief

> **DO NOT use AI-generated doctor faces or fabricated MD panels.** That's an FSSAI/ASCI violation and a brand-trust killer.
> This is a sourcing checklist for real medical experts to associate with Sleep + Recovery.

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## Objective

Recruit a small, real medical panel that can:
- Review the formula (give credibility to product)
- Be quoted by name + credentials in advertorial + PDP
- Optionally appear in Lane 1 founder / authority ads (real photoshoot, not AI)
- Provide editorial expert commentary for SEO articles

NOT a paid endorsement model — a real medical advisor relationship.

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## Target specialties

### Tier 1 — Sleep medicine
- Sleep specialists / sleep clinic MDs in India
- Background in non-pharmacological sleep approaches
- Open to nutraceutical research

### Tier 2 — Integrative / preventive medicine
- Lifestyle medicine MDs
- Functional medicine practitioners with real credentials
- AYUSH-integrated physicians (NOT pure Ayurveda — modern integration angle)

### Tier 3 — Sports medicine (recovery angle)
- Sports medicine doctors with focus on recovery
- Olympic / professional athlete physicians (if any access)
- Strength + conditioning advisors with MD background

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## Sourcing channels

| Channel | Approach |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn outreach | Search "sleep medicine" + India · Connect + warm intro |
| Med school alumni networks | AIIMS, JIPMER, KGMU, CMC Vellore — any contacts |
| Conference attendees | World Sleep Society India chapter · Indian Society of Sleep Research |
| Existing customers | Survey current SETU customers for medical practitioners — bonus: they already use the product |
| Researcher publications | Indians who've published on magnesium/glycine sleep research (search PubMed) |
| Founder network | Nihaal's existing contacts via SETU board / investors / mentors |

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## What to send in outreach

**Email template (90 words):**

> Dr. [Last Name] —
>
> I'm Nihaal, founder of SETU. We're launching a sleep formula (Triple Mg + Glycine + L-Theanine + Tart Cherry) and want to build a small medical advisory panel.
>
> Asking for: 60 minutes of your time to review the formula, plus optional permission to quote you in our editorial content with credit + credentials. Honorarium for advisors.
>
> NOT a paid endorsement — we want real medical opinion on the science, including critique.
>
> Would you be open to a 30-min intro call this month?
>
> Nihaal Mariwala
> Founder, SETU
> nihaal@setu.in

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## Vetting checklist (before adding to panel)

- [ ] Real MD/DO/MBBS with verifiable registration number (state medical council)
- [ ] No history of pharma-funded controversies / ad fraud cases
- [ ] Active practice (not retired or non-practicing)
- [ ] Comfortable being quoted publicly
- [ ] Reviewed the formula, given written comment (positive or critical)
- [ ] Signed an advisor agreement (honorarium + IP + termination clause)

## Compensation model

| Tier | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Advisor (1 yr engagement) | ₹50K-₹2L annual honorarium + product samples |
| Quoted expert (one-off) | ₹15K per quote + product samples |
| Editorial peer reviewer | ₹10K per article reviewed |

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## Compliance + legal

- All advisor agreements reviewed by SETU legal counsel
- Disclosure of compensation must appear on any quoted material (per FTC + Indian advertising standards)
- Advisor cannot make individual diagnostic/treatment claims about SETU products
- Advisor commentary is generic about the science, NOT specific outcome claims
- All public-facing quotes pre-approved by advisor before publication

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## Target panel composition

| Role | # | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep medicine MD (lead advisor) | 1 | TBD |
| Integrative medicine MD | 1 | TBD |
| Sports / recovery medicine MD | 1 | TBD |
| Editorial peer-reviewers (article-by-article) | 2-3 | TBD |

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## Where the panel shows up

Once recruited, the panel powers:
- Advertorial expert quote (current advertorial has placeholder language)
- PDP "Reviewed by" badge in trust section
- Founder section "advised by" mention
- SEO articles "Reviewed by Dr. X" byline
- Lane 1 founder ads — if a panel member agrees to appear (separate ad shoot)

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## Timeline

| Phase | Target | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Outreach round 1 (20 candidates) | Month 1 | Founder + Brand Mgr |
| Intro calls (10 of 20) | Month 2 | Founder |
| Sign 3 advisors | Month 3 | Founder + Legal |
| Public-facing assets | Month 4-5 | Brand Mgr + Designer |

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## Status

Currently: 0 advisors signed. This is a launch-critical sourcing job. Block calendar time + run outreach systematically.