Ten Principles of

Good Prescribing
In modern healthcare, prescribing is the main way to treat and prevent disease.
While medicines can enhance health, they all have the potential to cause harm if
used inappropriately. We recommend that healthcare professionals who prescribe
medicines should follow these ten principles, which
underpin safe and effective use of medicines.

All prescribers should:

1 2
Be clear about the
reasons for prescribing
Establish an accurate diagnosis
whenever possible (although this
may often be difficult)
Be clear about how the patient
is likely to benefit from the
prescribed medicines
Take into account the
patient’s medication
history before prescribing
 btain an accurate list of
O
current and recent medications
(including over the counter and
alternative medicines), prior
adverse drug reactions and
drug allergies from the patient,
their carers, or colleagues

4
Take into account other

3
Take into account the
factors that might
patient’s ideas, concerns,
alter the benefits and
and expectations
risks of treatment
Aim to form a partnership with the
 onsider other individual
C patient when selecting treatments,
factors that might influence making sure that they understand
the prescription (for example, and agree with the reasons for
physiological changes with age taking the medicine
and pregnancy, or impaired
kidney, liver, or heart function)
5 6
Select effective, safe, Adhere to national
and cost-effective guidelines and
medicines tailored to local formularies
the patient where appropriate
 he likely beneficial effect of the
T  e aware of guidance produced
B
medicine should outweigh the extent by respected bodies (this is
of any potential harms, and whenever increasingly available via
possible this judgement should be decision support systems), but
based on published evidence always consider the individual
needs of the patient
 nly prescribe medicines that are
O
unlicensed, ‘off label’, or outside  elect medicines with regard to
S
standard practice if you are satisfied costs and needs of other patients
that another medicine would not (health care resources are finite)
meet the patient’s needs (this decision
will be based on evidence and/or Be able to identify, access, and
experience of their safety and efficacy) use reliable and validated sources
of information (for example,
 hoose the best formulation, dose,
C British National Formulary), and
frequency, route of administration, evaluate potentially less reliable
and duration of treatment information critically

8
Monitor the beneficial
Write unambiguous and adverse effects

7 legal prescriptions of medicines

using the correct 
Identify how the beneficial
documentation and adverse effects of
treatment can be assessed
 e aware of common factors that
B
cause medication errors and know  nderstand how to alter
U
how to avoid them the prescription as a result
of this information

 now how to report adverse

K
drug reactions (in the UK,
via the Yellow Card scheme)
Communicate and

9 document prescribing
decisions and the Prescribe within the
reasons for them
 ommunicate clearly with patients and
C
their carers, and with your colleagues
10 limitations of your
knowledge, skills
and experience
 ive patients important information
G 
Always keep the knowledge and
about how to take the medicine and skills that are relevant to your
what benefits might arise practice up to date

Advise patients on adverse effects Be prepared to seek the advice

(especially those that will require and support of suitably qualified
urgent review), and any monitoring professional colleagues
that is required
Make sure that, where appropriate,
 se the health record and other
U prescriptions are checked
means to document prescribing (for example, calculations of
decisions accurately intravenous doses)

www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/prescribing-and-managing-medicines-and-devices