PENMANSHIP WOES: Indian High Court tells doctors write clearly or go digital

International

A RECENT ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in India is making waves, after judges declared that legible medical prescriptions are a patient’s fundamental right.

The court ordered doctors in both public and private hospitals to stop scribbling notes and instead issue prescriptions in capital letters or digital form.

The move came after the court reviewed a medico-legal report with handwriting so messy that even a judge said “not a single word or letter was legible.”

This sparked a strong reminder that unclear writing could put lives at risk.

Authorities in India were told to strictly implement the order, with health officers tasked to monitor compliance at the district level. Within two years, all prescriptions in the region are expected to be fully computerized or typed, not handwritten.

Medical experts also backed the decision, a report by BBC said.

Dr. Sudhir Kumar of CMC Vellore warned that messy prescriptions can cause wrong medication, delayed treatment, harmful side effects, and even erode patient trust.

While the ruling applies to Indian states, the issue resonates globally—including in the Philippines—where many patients still rely on handwritten prescriptions.

Local health advocates say this highlights the need for clearer writing standards or digital prescriptions to avoid confusion at pharmacies and ensure patient safety.(Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)