Ministry of Health Drafts New Regulation for Special Controlled Drug Prescriptions

The Ministry of Health has proposed a draft regulation amending Circular No. 26/2025/TT-BYT concerning special controlled drug prescriptions. Accordingly, the number of prescription copies for home treatment monitoring is being increased to four, while a special warning note must be added to the fourth copy and the identification details of drug recipients must be recorded to prevent misuse.

Changes to Prescription Copies

Under current regulations, prescriptions labeled N and H under special control could only be issued in three copies. This resulted in patients or their families being unable to take a copy of the prescription home for instructions regarding usage, dosage, and treatment monitoring.

New Step for Home Treatment Monitoring

The Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management under the Ministry of Health proposes increasing the number of copies to four in the revised draft circular. This step includes adding a separate copy to be given directly to the patient or their representative for home treatment monitoring.

Measures to Prevent Misuse

While allowing patients to receive a copy of their prescription facilitates dosage tracking, it also creates a risk of misuse for repurchasing drugs. To eliminate this risk, it is planned to add a special warning note to the fourth copy.

Information Framework for Drug Recipients

A new information framework has been added to the draft circular to clarify the legal responsibility of family members who collect drugs on behalf of those unable to visit health facilities in person, such as late-stage cancer patients and those with mental health issues.