Nadeem Nadu
New Delhi, Dec 15 :
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all medical colleges and institutions across India to constitute a Sub-Committee under their Drugs and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) to closely monitor prescription practices and ensure adherence to statutory, regulatory and ethical standards.
As per a communiqué issued to Principals and Deans of all medical colleges, accessed by news agency Kashmir News Corner (KNC), the directive follows a Public Notice dated December 11, 2025, issued by the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the NMC.
The commission has also instructed medical institutions to reinforce the importance of legible and clear handwriting in medical prescriptions as part of the academic curriculum. The move aims to improve patient safety and ensure rational drug use.
Earlier, on December 11, the PGMEB had issued a detailed communication to Health and Family Welfare Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, Directors of Medical Education, and heads of medical institutions, citing an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court had observed that legible prescriptions are an essential component of the Right to Health under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The NMC noted that existing regulations already mandate doctors to prescribe medicines using generic names, written legibly and preferably in capital letters. To strengthen compliance, the newly mandated Sub-Committees will periodically review prescription patterns, identify deviations, recommend corrective steps, and maintain records for inspection by the commission.
Medical colleges have been asked to constitute these Sub-Committees immediately and operationalise monitoring mechanisms without delay, the communiqué said. (KNC)