NMC instructs medical colleges to include importance of writing legible prescriptions in their curriculum

New Delhi: National Medical Commission (NMC) has instructed all medical colleges to set up sub-committees for monitoring prescription practices and also include in the curriculum the importance of writing legible and clear prescriptions.

In a communication sent on December 15 to secretaries and principal secretaries of health department of all states and Union territories and directors and deans of all medical institutions under it, the NMC said that the directive is based on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued on August 27.

According to the court orders, the NMC is required to ensure the inclusion and reinforcement of the importance of legible and clear handwriting in medical prescriptions in the curriculum of all medical colleges and institutions in India.

The court observed that a legible medical prescription or document is an essential component of the Right to Health under Article 21 of the Constitution.

It had further referred to the provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, and the MCI notification dated September 21, 2016, all of which mandate that every medical practitioner must write prescriptions legibly and preferably in capital letters.

Reference has also been made to the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 and corresponding rules on electronic health records, emphasizing the need for legibility and clarity in medical documentation.

The NMC observed the need for strengthened and structured monitoring of prescription practices across all medical colleges in accordance with the regulations currently in force.

"Therefore, every medical college shall establish a dedicated Sub-Committee, under the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee (DTC), for monitoring prescriptions and ensuring compliance with the statutory, regulatory, and ethical standards," the communication said.

The subcommittee shall develop a structured plan for systematic appraisal of prescriptions to assess compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines.

It will review and analyze prescription patterns, identify deviations, and recommend corrective measures for improving adherence and ensure that the findings of each appraisal are recorded in the minutes of the DTC meetings and make such records available to the NMC.

In its communication, the commission further reminded the medical colleges that, according to the prevailing regulations, "Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters, and he/she shall ensure rational prescription and use of drugs." Compliance of these directions is mandatory, the NMC said.

"All institutions are instructed to constitute the sub-committee immediately, and operationalize the prescribed monitoring mechanisms without delay," it stated.