Can doctors ever change their 'funny-looking' handwriting? - Video
It’s a familiar joke around the world that no one can read a doctor’s handwriting. However, in India, that old punchline has become a public health concern.
In a landmark ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared that a legible medical prescription and diagnosis is a fundamental right of every patient.
Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri issued the order after reviewing a medical report in a case and realising that not a single word was readable.
What began as a moment of courtroom confusion became a serious question about patient safety. “Legible medical prescription is a fundamental right," the court said.
The ruling now requires doctors across Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to either write prescriptions in clear capital letters or switch to typed or digital formats.
The court also directed medical schools to train students on writing legibly, calling it a professional responsibility as vital as diagnosis itself.
Beyond India, the problem is well-documented. A U.S. study once linked around 7,000 deaths a year to medication errors caused by misread prescriptions.
Other research has shown that unclear instructions and abbreviations can lead to serious medical mistakes, from wrong dosages to dispensing the wrong drugs.
Indian doctors acknowledge the issue but point to heavy workloads, often dozens of patients in a day, as a key challenge.
"It's a well-known fact that many doctors have poor handwriting, but that's because most medical practitioners are very busy, especially in overcrowded government hospitals," Dr Dilip Bhanushali, president of the Indian Medical Association, said.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
