Abstract

This review examines the prevalence, underlying causes, and clinical implications of prescription errors in Mauritius and outlines evidence-based strategies for their prevention. A critical appraisal of peer-reviewed literature, regional health reports, and international databases—including WHO VigiBase and national health statistics—indicates that prescription errors remain a significant public-health concern. Contributing factors encompass human error, ineffective communication, systemic deficiencies, patient-related barriers, and environmental influences. Frequently reported problems include illegible handwriting, ambiguous abbreviations, and the absence of standardized prescribing protocols. Underreporting continues to obscure the true magnitude of the issue, hampering targeted interventions. Among the most commonly implicated therapeutic classes are antidiabetic agents, antineoplastic drugs, and analgesics. Evidence supports several key mitigation strategies: regular continuing professional development programs, the establishment of drug information centers, integration of Pharm-D professionals into prescribing teams, and the adoption of electronic prescribing systems and computerized physician order entry platforms. Addressing prescription errors in Mauritius, therefore, requires a multifaceted framework that combines policy reform, technological innovation, interprofessional collaboration, and a robust culture of reporting and feedback to strengthen medication safety and professional accountability. This review also identifies a critical gap in empirical data from Mauritius, highlighting the absence of national-level prescription error audits. It further recommends establishing a National Drug Safety and Reporting Authority to coordinate e-prescription monitoring and reduce error rates by at least 30% over 5 years.

Key words: Prescription errors, Mauritius, medication safety, prescribing pharmacists, e-prescriptions