manual on management of drugs

CHAPTER 6
CARE IN PRESCRIBING DRUGS
1. Drugs should be prescribed considering safety, quality and cost.
2. All drugs should be prescribed by their generic names.
3. The prescriptions should contain the diagnosis/indication for use of
drugs, correct dosage, frequency with which the drug should be taken
and amounts to be issued. The prescription should carry the name of
the patient, age, sex, date, be legibly written and signed by the
prescribing officer.
4. The recommended standard schedules of treatments (eg. circular on
post exposure prophylaxis of rabies) should be adhered to as far as
possible. This should be strictly complied by primary care
institutions, divisional hospitals and OPD of other categories of
institutions.
5. All patients attending OPD should be prescribed drugs for the
minimum period possible and should not exceed 3 days of treatment
except antibiotics, which may be prescribed for 5 days. Discretion lies
with the medical officer examining the patient whether drugs should
be prescribed or not.
Intern medical officers should prescribe drugs only for in-patients and
patients attending specialist out-patient clinics.
6. Patients attending specialist out-patient clinics can be prescribed
drugs for a maximum period of 4 weeks. If the drugs have to be
continued, each and every drug has to be written separately with the
dosage.
7. The prescribing officer should ensure that:
a. the patient is prescribed the minimum drugs that are essential
for the treatment.
b. cost of drugs be taken into consideration when drugs are
prescribed.
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