Prescriptions for Controlled Medicines

Clinical Description

• These medicines are regulated by the laws of Malawi, the Pharmacy and Medicines

Regulatory Authority Act (No. 9 of 2019). Consult the relevant sections of the Act for details of the appropriate legal requirements in each case

• Controlled medicines covered by the Act, and which are also used in the MSTG are:
• Morphine sulphate injection
• Morphine sulphate solution
• Pethidine hydrochloride injection
• Morphine sulphate tablets
• Codeine tablets
• Fentanyl pachets
• Fentanyl Injection
• Nalbuphine injection
• Misoprostol tablets
• Mifepristone tablets
• These medicines have potential for abuse which may result in dependence.

Carefully record all procedures involving them in the appropriate record books

• Prescriptions for these medicines may only be written by registered medical practitioners
• The following legal requirements must also be observed when writing such prescriptions:
• The prescription must be in the prescriber's own handwriting
• It must be signed and dated
• The prescriber's address must be shown
• The name and address of the patient must be stated
• The total amount of the item to be supplied must be stated in words and figures
• the prescription should include the prescriber’s registration number
• It is an offence for the prescriber to issue and for the pharmacy/dispensary to dispense prescriptions for controlled medicines, unless the requirements of the law are fully complied with Notes:
• In certain exceptional circumstances, senior nurses in charge of departments, wards, or theatres, and midwives, may also obtain and administer certain controlled medicines as part of their work. The relevant sections of the Act should be consulted for the details of the appropriate legal requirements in each case.
• Hospital in-patient prescriptions for controlled medicines should be prescribed on a separate prescription as well as written on treatment cards or case sheets and signed/dated by the person administering the medicine.