The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a directive to all medical colleges to establish subcommittees for monitoring prescription practices. The move complies with an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which mandated training for doctors to ensure prescriptions are legible and clear.
Key Highlights of the Directive
- Curriculum Change: Medical colleges must introduce specific modules on “legible prescription writing” in their academic curriculum.
- Monitoring Mechanism: A dedicated subcommittee in every college will:
- Conduct systematic audits of prescriptions.
- Identify deviations (e.g., illegible handwriting, use of non-standard abbreviations).
- Recommend corrective measures.
- Objective: To reduce medication errors and ensure patient safety by enforcing the standard of writing prescriptions in Capital Letters and using Generic Names (as per earlier ethics regulations).
About National Medical Commission (NMC) :
Legal Status: A Statutory Body established under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
Ministry: Works under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Predecessor: It replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI).
Primary Objective: To improve access to quality and affordable medical education, ensure adequate medical professionals nationwide, and enforce high ethical standards.
Organizational Structure
- Composition: The Commission consists of 33 members:
- 1 Chairperson (Medical Professional).
- 10 Ex-officio Members.
- 22 Part-time Members.
- Selection: Members are appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of a Search Committee.
The Four Autonomous Boards
The NMC Act, 2019 constitutes four autonomous boards to oversee specific functions:
- Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB): Sets standards for MBBS education.
- Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB): Sets standards for PG medical education (MD/MS).
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB):
- Carries out inspections.
- Grants permission for new colleges.
- Rates/ranks medical institutions.
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB):
- Maintains the National Medical Register (NMR) of all licensed practitioners.
- Regulates professional conduct and medical ethics.
Q. With reference to the National Medical Commission (NMC), consider the following statements:
1.It is a constitutional body established under Article 324.
2.It has the power to determine fees for all seats in private medical colleges.
3.The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) is responsible for granting permission to establish new medical colleges.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Explanation :
Statement 1 is Incorrect: The National Medical Commission (NMC) is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body established under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The NMC does not determine fees for all seats. The Commission is empowered to frame guidelines for the determination of fees and other charges for 50% of the seats in private medical institutions and deemed-to-be universities. The remaining fees are typically determined by the State Fee Regulatory Committees.
Statement 3 is Correct: The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) is one of the four autonomous boards under the NMC. Its functions include:
-Granting permission for the establishment of new medical institutions.
-Granting permission to start postgraduate courses or increase the number of seats.
-Conducting inspections and rating medical institutions.
