The National Medical Commission (NMC) directs Medical Colleges to teach the importance of writing legible and clear medical prescriptions in their teaching curriculum and to set up monitoring panels to ensure compliance.
The move aims to strengthen prescription practices and make medical documentation clearer and more accountable, following a Punjab and Haryana High Court order on doctors handwriting that emphasised clear prescriptions as a key part of the Right to Health under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Background
The directive follows an August 27, 2025 High Court decision in the case of Yogesh vs. State of Haryana, where the court highlighted that illegible prescriptions can endanger patient safety and violate the constitutional Right to Health. The judges noted that unclear prescriptions contribute to medication errors and hamper effective treatment.
Sub-Committees to Monitor Prescription Practices
A notice was sent to health department officials across all states and union territories, as well as the directors and deans of medical colleges, the NMC instructed that Sub-Committees under the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) be constituted immediately in all medical colleges.
These panels will
Join NEET News 2025 - review prescription practices,
- analyse prescribing patterns,
- identify deviations from regulations, and
- recommend corrective steps to improve prescription quality and compliance.
The findings of these reviews must be recorded in the minutes of DTC meetings and made available to the NMC when requested.
Legible Writing and Generic Drug Names Mandatory
The commission has reminded institutions that doctors must write prescriptions legibly and preferably in capital letters, and prescribe medicines by their generic names to ensure rational drug use.
These requirements are already part of existing medical practice regulations, including provisions in the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, and related norms on clinical documentation.
Implementation and Compliance
The NMC has made compliance with the new directive mandatory for all medical colleges and institutions. Colleges are expected to form the required committees and operationalise the monitoring process without delay, ensuring that future doctors are trained in clear prescription writing as part of their core medical education.
