Ministry of Health moves to adopt a unified mechanism for regulating the disposal and storage of medical prescriptions in healthcare facilities

AbdulKarim Al-Abdullah: The Ministry of Health is soon set to adopt an updated mechanism for the storage and destruction of “medical prescriptions” in healthcare facilities, a move aimed at standardizing procedures, clarifying responsibilities, and ensuring the secure storage of documents and their easy retrieval when needed, in compliance with the systems and regulations in force within the Ministry.

The mechanism, which Al-Anba newspaper has obtained and which is expected to be adopted shortly, includes procedures for storing medical prescriptions that vary according to the type of document. These have been classified into three main categories: handwritten medical prescriptions, drug dispensing receipts issued from the electronic system, and prescriptions for narcotic and psychotropic substances, which are subject to special controls and regulations.

Drug Dispensing Policy

The mechanism clarified that the policy for dispensing drugs to patients, currently under a pilot phase, will be revised before its final adoption. The new mechanism for storing and destroying documents will be incorporated to ensure procedural clarity and uniform application across all primary healthcare centers.

According to the mechanism, electronic drug dispensing receipts will be stored within the pharmacy for three months from the date of issuance, to allow for retrieval when necessary. After this period, they will be handed over to the responsible official at the healthcare facility to complete the destruction procedures in accordance with approved regulations.

Handwritten Prescriptions

The mechanism stipulates that handwritten medical prescriptions will be kept in the designated area within the pharmacy of the healthcare facility for one year from the date of issuance. After the storage period expires, they will be handed over to the responsible official to complete destruction procedures in line with the Ministry’s prevailing systems.

Narcotic Substances

Regarding prescriptions for narcotic and psychotropic substances, the mechanism emphasized the continued application of the regulations governing them. Prescription books and order vouchers must be retained for three years from the date of the last entry. They may not be destroyed without obtaining approval from the Pharmaceutical Inspection and Licensing Administration, in accordance with approved decisions and circulars.

This update aims to strengthen the governance of pharmaceutical documents and prescriptions, unify storage and destruction mechanisms, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and maintain document integrity and accessibility when needed.