The rules that apply
Telemedicine in India is governed by the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines issued on 25 March 2020 by the Board of Governors (then in place of the Medical Council of India) as part of the professional conduct regulations for doctors. For psychiatry, the Telepsychiatry Operational Guidelines 2020, prepared by NIMHANS with the Indian Psychiatric Society and the Telemedicine Society of India, explain how those rules apply to psychiatric practice.
Who can prescribe
Only a registered medical practitioner (RMP) can prescribe medicines. Psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists cannot, whether in person or online. In a clinic where psychologists and psychiatrists work together, the psychologist’s session ends in a consultation note or visit summary, not a prescription.
Which medicines can be prescribed online
The guidelines sort medicines into lists, and what you may prescribe depends on whether it is a first consultation or a follow-up, and whether you are talking by video, audio or text:
| List | What it covers | When it can be prescribed |
|---|---|---|
| List O | Over-the-counter medicines that are safe to use without a prescription | Any teleconsultation |
| List A | Relatively safe medicines with low potential for abuse | A first consultation by video, and refills at follow-up |
| List B | Medicines added to optimise treatment of a condition already diagnosed in person | Follow-up consultations only |
| Prohibited | Medicines in Schedule X of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and narcotic or psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act, 1985 | Not by teleconsultation |
For psychiatry the prohibited list matters most. Benzodiazepines and other medicines listed under the NDPS Act can’t be prescribed through a teleconsultation, even for a patient you know well. Before prescribing remotely, check whether a medicine appears in Schedule X or the NDPS schedules.
What a valid e-prescription must include
A prescription issued after a teleconsultation follows the same format as an in-person one, and must carry:
- Your name, qualification and medical council registration number
- The patient’s name, age and sex, and the date of the consultation
- Diagnosis or provisional diagnosis
- Medicines with strength, dose, frequency and duration, and any instructions
- Investigations advised, if any
- Your signature (handwritten and scanned, or digital)
You may send it as a scanned or digital copy, by email or through a messaging platform. Keep a copy, and keep records of the consultation itself.
Good practice for teleconsultations in psychiatry
- Confirm the patient’s identity and age at the start, and their location in case of an emergency.
- Consent: if the patient starts the teleconsultation, consent is implied; if you start it, get explicit consent and record it.
- Use your judgement: if a proper assessment isn’t possible remotely, ask the patient to come in person.
- For a patient at risk, have a plan for what you will do if the call drops, and share crisis numbers (Tele-MANAS 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, and 112).
- Record the consultation mode and the prescription in the patient’s record.
How MindConnect handles prescriptions
In MindConnect a psychiatrist writes medicines and investigations in the consultation, can ask AI for a draft prescription and suggested tests to review, and prints on the clinic’s or branch’s letterhead. The patient’s age is worked out as of the visit date, and patients can download their prescription from their appointment history. For psychologists and counsellors the same note prints as a consultation note or visit summary, without the Rx symbol.
MindConnect doesn’t decide what you may prescribe remotely; that remains your clinical and legal judgement. Read more on software for psychiatrists.
See how prescriptions and follow-ups work in practice.
For psychiatristsFrequently asked questions
Can a psychiatrist prescribe antidepressants online in India?
Generally yes, within the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines: most antidepressants are not on the prohibited list. What you may prescribe on a first consultation depends on whether it is by video, audio or text. Check the current lists before prescribing.
Can benzodiazepines be prescribed by teleconsultation?
No. Benzodiazepines and other narcotic or psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act, 1985, and medicines in Schedule X, are on the prohibited list for teleconsultation.
Is a digitally signed prescription valid?
Yes. The guidelines allow a prescription to be sent as a scanned copy or digitally, as long as it carries the practitioner’s details and registration number and is signed.
Can a psychologist give a prescription?
No. Only registered medical practitioners can prescribe medicines in India. A psychologist’s session is documented in a note or visit summary.