Health ministry cure for doc’s prescriptions, write in caps

NEW DELHI:
Jokes about illegible scribbles of doctors that made patients scratch their heads may soon become a thing of past.
The Union Health Ministry will soon come out with 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 Health Ministry will come out with gazette notification under the MCI regulations. Under this, 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. (AGENCIES)