Georgia tightens psychotropic drug rules to curb misuse and protect patients
Georgia has announced stricter controls on psychotropic drug prescriptions to improve patient safety. The new rules, set to begin on 1 April 2023, follow concerns over inappropriate prescribing practices identified by regulators. The reforms limit the maximum supply of psychotropic medications to 14 days for adults and 30 days for minors. Doctors can only issue a new prescription when a patient has five days or less of medication left. Daily doses must also stay within the official maximum limits for each drug.
Physicians will now need to provide clear medical reasons for prescribing these medications. They must record their justification in the patient's medical history. The updated system also includes procedures for cases where medication is lost, damaged, or destroyed. The changes come after the Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities Regulation Agency found multiple violations in prescribing practices. Disciplinary action has already been taken against some medical professionals for breaches. The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs has introduced electronic prescriptions to strengthen oversight.
The tighter regulations aim to reduce risks linked to the misuse of psychotropic drugs. By enforcing stricter controls and documentation, authorities hope to prevent inappropriate prescriptions. The new framework will apply from the start of April 2023.
