From March 1, 2019, what is the duration of use for traditional medicine in prescriptions?

To be specific, the duration of medication usage in the prescription of traditional medicine and medicinal herbs is regulated as follows:

First, prescribing medication in outpatient treatment:

- Chronic conditions: Each prescription should last no more than 30 days or follow the treatment guidelines for each disease;- Other conditions: Each prescription should last no more than 10 days. For remote areas, border regions, islands, and regions with difficult or extremely difficult socio-economic conditions, the prescription duration can be up to 30 days.

Second, prescribing medication in inpatient treatment, day inpatient treatment:

- Medication should be prescribed at least twice within 10 days;- For traditional medicine prescriptions, during inpatient treatment or day inpatient treatment, if there is no change in the treatment indication and the prescription remains the same as previously indicated, it is permissible to re-prescribe by noting “Prescription or drug order of the day, month, year” and only once. If the same prescription is to be used consecutively, it must be rewritten.

Additionally, this Circular also provides guidance on prescribing medication in healthcare facilities that apply information technology in outpatient prescription as follows:

- The prescription is entered into the computer once, then printed out, signed by the prescriber, and one copy is given to the patient to be kept in the patient’s medical record or long-term treatment record.- Medical facilities applying information technology must ensure that prescriptions can be retrieved or printed out as data when needed.- Electronic medical records are implemented according to legal regulations.

Regarding the validity period of prescriptions for drug purchase and dispensing, and prescription retention:

- Prescriptions are valid for drug purchase and dispensing for a maximum period of 05 days from the date of the prescription.- The retention period for prescriptions for traditional medicine and medicinal herbs is 03 months. Except for prescriptions containing toxic traditional medicine ingredients issued with Circular 42/2017/TT-BYT on November 13, 2017, by the Minister of Health promulgating the list of toxic medicinal herbs, the retention period is 06 months.

For further regulations, refer to Circular 44/2018/TT-BYT effective from March 1, 2019.

Thu Ba

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