By Analou De Vera
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has temporarily allowed the use of electronic image prescription for medicines amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN)
The agency said that it issued new guidelines-- FDA Circular No. 2020-007-- for the implementation of the use of electronic means of prescription to "ensure the continuous access of patients to prescription and maintenance drugs."
"With this circular, an electronic captured image prescription can be issued by licensed physicians and this may be presented once the patients avail medicines from drugstores," FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo said.
"The drugstore shall dispense drugs as prescribed by the electronic prescription which shall be deemed equivalent to a written prescription," he added. "Our patient may now present their prescriptions sent by their doctors via email or messaging apps such as Viber or Messenger."
Domingo noted that prescription writing standards must still be followed--it shall bear the signature, name, license, and professional tax receipt (PTR) number of the prescribing physician. The drugstore or pharmacy shall be responsible for "recognizing the validity and effectivity of the prescription."
The Health official noted that the use of electronic prescription shall take effect only during the period of the enhanced community quarantine.
"This does not aim to replace the patient-doctor interaction, and standard prescription and medicine dispensing process, but ensures the accessibility of essential medicines to our patients," Domingo said.
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