Ask doctors to write prescriptions legibly: HC

The High Court yesterday ordered the health secretary and Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council registrar to issue a circular in 30 days asking doctors to write prescriptions clearly in an easily understandable manner with the medicine names either in block letters or in print.

The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman ordered the secretary and registrar to submit a compliance report in six weeks.

It also issued a rule upon the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take effective steps to issue such prescriptions with the generic names of medicines.

The secretary, registrar and directors general of the health services department and the National Consumers Rights Protection were made respondents, petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.  The developments came during hearing of a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh on January 2 following a “Daily Bonik Barta” report of December 17 which stated that patients were at risk of taking the wrong medicine for the handwriting.