Indian Court Mandates Digital Prescriptions, Bans Handwriting Classes
The Problem of Illegible Prescriptions in India An Indian court has taken a significant step to address the issue of illegible prescriptions written by doctors. According to reports, the Punjab-Haryana High Court recently directed the central government and health authorities to include "handwriting classes" in medical school curricula and to fully implement digital prescriptions within two years. Until then, all doctors have been instructed to write prescriptions clearly in capital letters. The court highlighted the critical nature of this issue, stating that it was unable to read a prescription submitted during a recent trial. It emphasized, "Misinterpreting prescription content can determine life or death for citizens, making legible prescriptions a fundamental right of the people." The court also expressed concern about the continued use of handwritten prescriptions in an era where computers are widely available. It remarked, "(Due to the inability to r...