In a strongly worded directive, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that patients are entitled to receive medical prescriptions that are clear and legible, underscoring that a doctor’s handwriting can directly impact a patient’s life.
The issue surfaced during the hearing of a bail plea in a case involving charges of rape, fraud and forgery. While examining the medico-legal report, Justice Jasburpreet Singh Puri found himself unable to read a single word. Recording his concern, the judge noted in his order, “The conscience of the court was shaken by the fact that not a single word or letter in the report was legible." To illustrate the gravity of the matter, Justice Puri even attached a copy of the report with the verdict.