Principles of prescription writing

Abstract

In 2016, the Government of India passed a legislation requiring practitioners to prescribe by generic name, written in capital letters. It is still not clear whether this was a well-thought-out decision and is not followed by all. Nevertheless, around the world, a prescription is an order by a licensed practitioner to the pharmacist to dispense medicines or other medicinal products by generic or brand name. It can be handwritten or electronic. The basic components include patient demographics, the main body, and doctor’s details including name, registration number, and contact details. Many countries do not hand over the prescription back to the patient once the drug is dispensed. Non-prescription drugs are those sold over the counter and should ideally not belong to Schedule H, X, or G of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs has given rise to menace such as drug interactions, antibiotic resistance, and abuse of addictive drugs.