By Rian Schoeman, Executive: Legal and Compliance at Altron Security

Earlier this month, the Medical and Dental Professions Board (MDB) issued a notice to all registered practitioners. The message was clear: whether paper-based or electronic, prescriptions must comply with Regulation 33(2)(b) of the General Regulations under the Medicines and Related Substances Act (Act No. 101 of 1965). 
 
Simply put: if you are issuing electronic prescriptions, they are only legally valid if signed using an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) as defined in Section 13 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA). 
 
This is more than just a regulatory requirement. It has immediate implications for your patients. Without an AES, pharmacies may refuse to dispense the prescribed medication, placing patients at risk and opening you up to legal and reputational consequences. 

The Legal Standard for Electronic Prescriptions 

According to Regulation 33(2)(b), an electronic prescription must be signed using an AES. This is not optional. It's a legal condition of validity. 
 
Regulation 33(3) outlines mandatory information that must appear on any prescription, regardless of format, including: 

• The prescriber’s full name, qualifications, registration number, and practice address; 

• Patient details (including ID and address); 

• The date of issue; 

• The medicine’s approved or proprietary name, dosage form, and strength; 

• Quantity to be supplied (in figures and words for Schedule 6 substances). 
  
  

Why AES matters now more than ever 

Fraud in the medical industry is on the rise, and medical practitioners, hospitals, pharmacies and medical schemes alike have taken on the challenge of reducing fraud in the prescription and dispensing lifecycle. Incorporating an Advanced Electronic Signature into a script ensures the following: 

• That the person who signed the script is indeed the person who issued the script (non-repudiation) 

• That the contents of the script had not been tampered with (encryption) 

• That the script can be trusted and easily traced back to the prescribing practitioner (full auditability) 

Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) in practice: simpler than you might think  

We’ve worked with doctors, pharmacists, hospitals, and government bodies who’ve adopted AES solutions, and the feedback is consistent: the process is far easier than expected. 
 
Implementation involves: 
1. Registering with an accredited provider; 
2. Completing identity verification; 
3. Receiving your signing certificate; 
4. Installing the signing tool; 
5. Signing prescriptions digitally. 

Benefits beyond compliance 

AES isn’t just a tool for compliance; it offers tangible operational advantages: 
• Legally valid prescriptions: Avoid rejected scripts and ensure patient care isn’t delayed. 
• Increased efficiency: Sign digitally in seconds. 
• Stronger security: Reduce fraud and protect prescription integrity. 
• Improved audit readiness: Ensure traceability. 
• Environmental responsibility: Support sustainability by reducing paper usage. 

A turning point for healthcare 

This notice from the MDB marks an important shift. The time has come to clamp down on fraud and wastage, and all parties can play their role in closing the gap. By adopting AES, you’re not just meeting a regulatory obligation, you’re modernising your practice and enhancing patient care, and introducing efficiencies into your practice. 

Obtaining an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) from Altron Security 

Contact us directly Asec.sales@altron.com or watch this short video on just how easy it is to sign a script using an AES. We can also discuss integration into larger e-scripting platforms.