The drafting of a prescription is the responsibility of doctors and certain health professionals, within the limits necessary for their professional practice: dental surgeons, midwives, physiotherapists, chiropodists, and nurses.

- Doctors have a broad right to prescription. Their ability to prescribe may, however, be limited to certain drugs whose prescription is reserved for certain specialists or hospital practitioners.

- Dentists may prescribe all medicines necessary for dentistry.

- Midwives may prescribe the medicines, medical devices, and examinations necessary for the practice of their profession, the list of which is laid down by a decree.

- Unless otherwise indicated by the doctor, masseur-physiotherapists are authorized to prescribe, in the context of the exercise of their skills, medical devices, the list of which is laid down by order.

- Chiropodists may prescribe topicals for external use and dressings, the list of which is set by the order, as well as certain prostheses and orthoses.

- Unless otherwise indicated by the doctor, nurses are authorized to prescribe certain medical devices. They are also authorized to prescribe nicotine substitutes and certain antiseptics, as well as to renew, once only, for a period of 6 months, prescriptions for oral contraceptives. 

They are authorized to adopt the dosage of certain treatments for a given pathology. They can carry out certain vaccinations without a medical prescription.

Nicotine replacement products can now be prescribed by :

- doctors, including occupational physicians for workers

- dental surgeons

- midwives

- nurses;

- masseurs and physiotherapists.

RULES FOR WRITING A PRESCRIPTION

The provisions applicable to the writing of a prescription result from general ethical provisions, provisions relating to the reimbursement of costs by health insurance organizations, and specific texts applicable to certain categories of medicines.

1. FREEDOM OF PRESCRIPTION

The doctor is free to prescribe within the limits set by the law. His prescriptions must be those which he considers most appropriate in the light of the circumstances and the interests of the patient.

However, the freedom to prescribe outside the indications of the marketing authorization (MA) is regulated.

Prescription outside the therapeutic indications of the MA is possible within the framework of a temporary recommendation for use (RTU) or, in the absence of an RTU, if there is no therapeutic alternative and the prescriber deems it essential, in the light of scientific evidence, to use this specialty in order to improve or stabilize the patient's clinical condition.

2. QUALITY OF PRESCRIBING

The prescriber's knowledge must be up-to-date (obligation of continuous professional development). There are many programs and assessments available that health facilities can opt for like Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA), that help doctors and health professionals to carry out a test of their prescribing skills, know the gap and improve it.

Prescriptions must be clearly written. The doctor must ensure that they are understood by the patient or those around him. The physician should seek to ensure that the prescriptions are properly filled.

3. THE PRINCIPLE OF ECONOMY

The physician must limit his prescriptions and actions to what is necessary for the quality, safety and efficacy of care and observe, in his actions and prescriptions, the strictest economy compatible with the quality, safety and efficacy of care.