E-prescriptions may go up by 60% by year-end

dubai — The electronic system that monitors prescription and sale of drugs and provides accurate statistics thereby supporting the pharmaceutical market in the country has been effective, according to senior officials at the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHP).

Dr Amin Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for Public Health Policy and Licensing at the MoHP, said the system showed a surge in the number of the e-prescriptions since the system was launched in 2015. “It is expected that the number of issued e-prescriptions exceed 15,000 by end of 2017.”

The system was developed by the ministry in collaboration with the Dubai Police and is meant to detect any malpractice from doctors, pharmacists or anyone concerned in the drug industry.

“Dispensation of medicines prescribed in the e-prescription system rose from 12 per cent in 2015 to 47 per cent in 2016. We expect the rate will hit 60 per cent by the end of 2017 from the current 57 per cent.” Since the beginning of 2015, dispensation of controlled and semi-controlled drugs at the government and private hospitals

With the e-prescription system, physicians cannot prescribe drugs that have the same medicinal effect.” Dr Amin Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary, MoHP

and clinics were overseen by the ministry and had turned electronic and paperless.

The number of health care specialists, who are dealing with the controlled and semi-controlled drugs and are registered in the eprescription system went up from 920 in 2015 to 2,086 till July 2017. Pharmacies that sell controlled and semi-controlled drugs are 145 pharmacies, and 116 health facilities.

Dr Al Amiri said the system has numerous benefits in preventing dispensation of controlled drugs to patients excessively. “With this system, physicians cannot prescribe drugs that have the same medicinal effect at the same time.”