Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME) has accorded sanction for the constitution of prescription audit committees at the Government Health Institutions across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The prescription audit committee will be formed at the Government Medical College, district and sub-district levels.

 The prescription committees would keep a check on the prescriptions given by the doctors and to contain the reported unethical practices by some health care professionals. 

According to a government order, at the Government MedicalCollege Level, the Medical Superintendent of the concerned hospital shall bethe chairman of the committee, while the Assistant/Associated ProfessorPharmacology along with the RMO/Sr.CMO shall be the members.

Similarly, at the District Hospital Level, the MedicalSuperintendent would act as the chairman and District Immunization Officer/DHOalong with the Sr. Medical Officer, nominated by the Chief Medical Officer,shall be the members.

 At the Block level,the BMO shall be the Chairman along with two Sr. MOs nominated by the ChiefMedical Officer. The terms of references of the prescription audit committeeshave also been notified.

The HODs (Principals) of Government Medial Colleges,Director Health Services Jammu/Kashmir, Director, ISM, J&K shall nominatenodal officers in their respective institutions. The nodal officers sonominated shall at random collect photocopies of at least 1% (one percent) ofthe prescriptions on daily basis written by the Government Doctors in the OPDs.These prescriptions collected by the Nodal officers shall be scrutinized by thePrescription Audit committees to check whether the prescription are writtenlegibly in Capital Letters with the name of the doctors, his/her signatures andregistration number, generic drugs are prescribed and preference given to thedrugs which are available free in the Hospital supplies, unnecessarydiagnostics test are not prescribed and patients are not referred to privateclinics/specialists without requirement and whether drugs are prescribed incontravention to the provision of Drug and Cosmetics Act and Regulations.

It shall be again ensured by the prescription auditcommittee that fortnightly reports are sent to the HODs. HODs shall prepare acomprehensive monthly report along with their recommendation highlighting theactionable points, which shall be submitted to Administrative Department.