Illegible prescriptions make dispensing medicines risky

Norms flouted

Patients visiting several pharmacies in the City are forced to return empty handed. Not because there is shortage of medicines, but the doctors’ prescriptions are illegible.

It is over a month since the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) conveyed to all medical practitioners that they should follow a new set of rules that also include the format in which a prescription ought to be written.

Even as it has been made mandatory that prescriptions must be written in capital letters only, not even a handful of doctors seem to be paying heed to the instruction.

In capital letters

An official with the KMC said that the Council would soon write to the Drugs Control Department and request them to send a circular to all pharmacies asking them not to accept prescriptions if not written in capital letters.

“We had sent a circular to all doctors a month ago to follow the new norms framed by the Indian Medical Council. Since it is not being done, this measure will be taken,” he said.  
Satish, pharmacist, Guru Pharma, pointed out that the Indian Medical Council had made it mandatory for doctors to write the prescriptions in capital letters only, but hardly anyone follows it.

“At times, when patients get treated at high-end hospitals, their discharge summary has the names of drugs in print and is clear. However, prescriptions, especially by doctors in clinics, are illegibly written,” he said.

A tough task

Satish said that it was a tough task to “decode” what was “scribbled.” “Unlike other professions, even a little negligence can cost a person his life. Sometimes, we ourselves are unsure if medicines must be given or not in such circumstances,” he said. He said that this not only put chemists in a tough spot, but also left patients confused.

“We have seen prescriptions where even the dosage is not clearly mentioned, leaving patients confused,” Satish said. Jagadish, pharmacist, Green Apple Pharmacy, said that the situation was worse when there were two drugs with similar names.
He said that sometimes, with no choice left, the pharmacy was forced to ask patients either to get the prescription re-written from the doctors or procure the drug from elsewhere.

KMC guidelines

* All medical practitioners should get their KMC registration number printed on their prescription papers compulsorily.
* All prescriptions should be written in Capital letters in legible handwriting..