Now, doctors have to write prescription in capital letters

Govt to issue a gazette notification, doctors will also be asked to mention the generic names of drugs they prescribe

New Delhi : Illegible handwritings of doctors may soon become a thing of the past. The Union Health Ministry will soon be issuing a gazette notification asking doctors to prescribe medicines in capital letters to make them ‘legible’.

The doctors will also be asked to mention the generic names of drugs they prescribe to help people buy them cheap.

“The prescription should be legible and preferably written in capital letters along with the names of the generic drug prescribed”, a senior Union Health Ministry official said.

Sources said that the notification is likely to be issued by the Ministry within a week’s time. The official, however, said there would be no penalties or punishment for the doctors not following the notification. “Like all other MCI regulations, this too will govern the doctors”, he said.

Health Minister J P Nadda had shared the concern voiced by some MPs in Parliament last year that illegible prescriptions may have serious implications for patients and could lead even to death in some cases.

“The central government has approved to amend Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002, providing therein that every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names in legible and capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs”, Nadda had said.

K K Aggarwal of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said writing in capital letters will help decrease prescription errors and will be a cheaper alternative to electronic health records. “Prescription errors will decrease. It will become uniform. One drug has 10 odd brands. The patients will be now able to know whether the drug is generic or not”, Aggarwal said.

“In US alone, 1,00,000 prescription errors occur every year. India does not have any data on this. This is a cheaper alternative to electronic health records. It will take some time for doctors to get used to it”, he said.

Source | Free Press Journal | 12 June 2015