Health authorities in India have taken significant steps to enhance patient safety amid growing concerns about medication errors caused by unclear medical prescriptions. The National Medical Commission of India has announced the mandatory requirement for all physicians to write prescriptions in a clear and legible manner. This initiative aims to reduce errors in medication dispensing and ensure accurate dosages. The Commission also included monitoring of prescriptions in medical colleges and training medical students to write precise and readable prescriptions. According to the Commission, these measures will help prevent misunderstandings between doctors and pharmacists, enable patients to read their own prescriptions, and lower healthcare costs resulting from pharmaceutical errors. This decision follows the Punjab and Haryana High Court highlighting the dangers associated with illegible prescriptions, which can lead to the dispensing of incorrect medicines or improper dosages, causing preventable harm to health. The High Court affirmed that a readable prescription is a fundamental component of the right to health, as per Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. In response to these concerns, the National Medical Commission has issued new directives to enhance accountability in prescription practices nationwide, a step described by authorities as essential for protecting patient health and safety.
