Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 30: To implement the new drug policy in letter and spirit, the State Government will make it mandatory on all doctors to write the prescriptions of patients in capital form.
According to highly placed sources, the Medical Education and Health Ministry of the State is examining the issue and the orders in this regard will be issued soon. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has also issued guidelines in this regard, sources added.
Sources said this decision is being taken to check the sale of substitute medicines by chemists to patients. There were numerous complaints by the people that they were being given the substitute medicines by the chemists on the pretext that the name of medicine was not legibly written by the doctor and to avoid the same, the Government has decided to issue orders making it mandatory for all practicing doctors whether in Government hospitals or private institutions in the State to write the prescriptions in capital letters, sources added.
Sources said that names of many medicines are looking similar but when they are spelt out they are different but by writing of prescriptions in small form, the chemists often give substitutes either deliberately or by default. This even can put the life of a patient to grave risk who is not familiar with the name of the medicine, sources added.
Sources said that the Ministry has sought the assistance of some reputed doctors in making the guidelines for the same.
Sources said the Minister of Medical Education and Health is very particular about the same as well as implementation of new drug policy in toto in the State. And since he took over as the Minister of Health he issued directives for implementation of drug policy in toto in the State. With the issuance of the order the chemists will not be able to give substitute medicines to the patients to put them to unnecessary problems and play with their precious lives in future, sources added.
Sources said in the event of giving a substitute medicine when a chemist is taken to task by the authorities, he feigns ignorance saying that he could spell name of the medicine from the prescription which was written in running hand.
Sources said that another problem faced by the patients is that the prescription of doctor written in running hand is not read by any other chemist also except in that vicinity where the doctor is practicing. Some times a patient or his attendant has to visit the city from rural areas to purchase the medicine because the other chemists are unable to spell out the same. But after writing the prescription in cap form a layman can spell out it and see for himself that he has not been given the substitute for the medicine by the chemist.
Sources said that the Government has taken the Senior Doctors Association also into confidence in this regard and discussed issue with them too.
Confirming the same the Minister of Medical Education, Health and Family Welfare Taj Mohi-ud-Din said that he is looking into the matter as there are guidelines that the prescription should be in capital form and Government will implement the same.
He said as the Ministry is on the job most probably the orders in this regard will be issued the soon.
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