In a landmark ruling issued in September 2025, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared that doctors must ensure all prescriptions are written legibly , highlighting how poor handwriting can directly endanger patient safety through misdiagnosis or medication errors . The judgment arose after a medico-legal report by a government doctor was deemed unreadable, raising serious concerns about medical accountability. The court directed that until digital prescription systems are fully implemented across healthcare facilities—expected within two years doctors must write prescriptions in clear capital letters .
This move aims to protect patients from preventable harm and strengthen medico-legal documentation. The decision has sparked widespread discussion in India’s medical community, especially among practitioners in busy government and rural hospitals , where handwritten prescriptions…
