Hyderabad: Some doctors have begin printing a 15-day validity period on their prescriptions to prevent patients from using them repeatedly to obtain medicines.
This, doctors said, was a scientific method to curb misuse of medicines. The time-barred presctiptions are mainly meant for antibiotics, steroids, pain killers and other common medicines whose abuse is rampant.
The prescriptions were introduced by some corporate hospitals and have been picked up by general practitioners and super-specialists.
For patients who require to take medicines in the long term for hypertension, diabetes, thyroid and kidney diseases, the doctors’ prescription could last for up to two months, when the patients are called for reviews.
IMA Hyderabad chapter member Dr Yadgiri Rao said, “Due to complaints of abuse of prescriptions, these tag lines are being printed on the prescription. Despite this caution, we are finding that chemists are issuing the drugs when the patients come with the same prescription again and again.”
According to the Drug Controller, photostat copies of prescriptions for Scheduled H drugs must be kept by the chemists. The same prescription must not be filled repeatedly by pharmacists according to rules. A senior drug control officer said, “We are carrying out raids. But we find that medicines are sold over the counter without prescriptions.”
Dr G. Srinivas, diabetologist explained, “The side-effects of any drugs are known within two to three days. This gives the patient enough time to come back and get further evaluated. When they come back on that prescription there is a free consultation offered. But most patients are not aware of this.”
For lifestyle diseases, thyroid and kidney problems. Dr Narayan Rao said, “We prescribe tablets for two to three months. That is also the advise for the patient to return for a check-up so that the side-effects can be evaluated. For hypertension, the patients are instructed that they can take it for a year. The doctor requires to write that on the prescription and counsel the patient to come back after a year for a thorough check-up.”
In the case of cancer medicines, there is regular follow-up monthly when the patient is on chemotherapy or radiation.
Senior oncologist of MNJ Cancer Hospital Dr Sai Ram said, “As the disease is very debilitating, patients are very regular in their follow-up and do not indulge in taking medicines without consultation. It is only when they recover fully that medicines are prescribed for six months but after that a follow-up is insisted upon and most of them come back.”
