Indian Court Mandates Clear Handwriting for Doctors to Ensure Patient Safety

Tue Oct 14 2025 15:43:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a landmark ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered doctors in India to write prescriptions in clear, legible handwriting, emphasizing that poor penmanship can jeopardize patient health.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declared that illegible handwriting in medical prescriptions poses a serious threat to patient safety. The court has mandated that all doctors must write prescriptions clearly in capital letters and implement digitized prescription practices within two years. This ruling comes after a judge encountered a poorly written medico-legal report during a case, prompting discussions about the long-standing issue of 'doctor's handwriting' in India. The ruling aims to reduce errors and improve communication in medical practice.

At a time when most people use keyboards to write, does handwriting really matter?

Yes, say Indian courts, if the writer is a doctor.

Jokes around the notoriously bad handwriting of many doctors that can only be deciphered by pharmacists are common in India, as around the world. But the latest order emphasising the importance of clear handwriting came recently from the Punjab and Haryana High Court which said that 'legible medical prescription is a fundamental right' as it can make a difference between life and death.

The court order came in a case involving allegations of rape, cheating and forgery. Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri highlighted the incomprehensible nature of a medico-legal report from a government doctor, stating, It shook the conscience of this court as not even a word or a letter was legible. This emphasized the potential dangers of illegible handwriting in the medical field.

Justice Puri's order mandates that all doctors write prescriptions clearly in capital letters and stated that handwriting lessons should be included in the medical school curriculum. A timeline of two years has been set to transition to digitized prescriptions.

Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, president of the Indian Medical Association, expressed willingness to help implement solutions, noting that while urban doctors are increasingly using digital prescriptions, many in rural areas still rely on handwritten notes. He pointed out that the busy nature of government hospitals often contributes to poor handwriting.

This ruling follows a pattern of previous admonishments by Indian courts regarding doctors' handwriting, underscoring a persistent issue in the healthcare system. Experts and pharmacists continue to raise awareness about the risks associated with unclear medical prescriptions, stressing that ambiguity can lead to serious consequences for patient health.

With this ruling, the court seeks not just to address aesthetic concerns related to handwriting, but to ultimately enhance patient safety and ensure clear communication in medical practice.