Overview
- An NMC communication dated December 15 directs every medical college to immediately form a subcommittee under its Drugs and Therapeutics Committee and begin monitoring without delay, with compliance mandatory.
- The subcommittees must appraise prescriptions, analyze patterns, identify deviations, recommend corrective actions, and record findings in DTC minutes for availability to the NMC.
- Medical colleges are required to teach the importance of clear, legible prescription writing as part of the curriculum to strengthen patient safety.
- The directive reiterates that physicians should prescribe drugs using generic names legibly, preferably in capital letters, and ensure rational prescription and use of medicines.
- The order follows an August 27 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that deems legible prescriptions part of the constitutional right to health under Article 21, with some experts calling for doctor identifiers on prescriptions to enhance accountability.