Analysis of Pharmacy Code of Ethics
Aisha Sharmarke
Kristin Klamm
PHIL – Medical Ethics
21 Feb. 2012
Analysis of Pharmacy Code of Ethics
Each profession has a set of ethical codes and guidelines which they must adhere to in order to reach optimum trust and maintain professional relationships with their customer or patient. Breach of the specified code will result in damage of patient’s trust, credibility in one’s ability to work in their environment with a non- objective view and so forth. A Pharmacist’s main goal is to provide and assist patients in making the right judgment regarding their use of medication; anything that compromises the ethical code must be acknowledged and dealt with accordingly.
In a Pharmacy profession there are eight ethical codes of which five I will discuss; the first is to respect the relationship boundaries between a patient and a pharmacist (US Pharm D). There may arise cases where one wants to be objective and voice an opinion that doesn’t suit the role of a pharmacist, always remember that it’s a professional relationship regardless of how close one is to the patients outside of work; being unbiased makes it easier to rationally provide an answer. In regard to this code, a pharmacist’s main goal is to maintain the trust of the patient which goes both ways; trust that the patient has listened and understood the use of the medication and will continuously use it the right manner, and in turn the patient trusts that you have provided to the best of your knowledge the most suitable medication. The theory that best fits the image portrayed by this code is Kant’s theory, “to always treat others as an end to themselves and never merely as means”, this means that a pharmacist isn’t promoting a specific drug and completely neglecting his patience health and terminating patients overall trust. The pharmacist should in no way lie to the patient while giving treatment even if their intention was for good. According to Kant’s theory good results never make an action morally
Kristin Klamm
PHIL – Medical Ethics
21 Feb. 2012
Analysis of Pharmacy Code of Ethics
Each profession has a set of ethical codes and guidelines which they must adhere to in order to reach optimum trust and maintain professional relationships with their customer or patient. Breach of the specified code will result in damage of patient’s trust, credibility in one’s ability to work in their environment with a non- objective view and so forth. A Pharmacist’s main goal is to provide and assist patients in making the right judgment regarding their use of medication; anything that compromises the ethical code must be acknowledged and dealt with accordingly.
In a Pharmacy profession there are eight ethical codes of which five I will discuss; the first is to respect the relationship boundaries between a patient and a pharmacist (US Pharm D). There may arise cases where one wants to be objective and voice an opinion that doesn’t suit the role of a pharmacist, always remember that it’s a professional relationship regardless of how close one is to the patients outside of work; being unbiased makes it easier to rationally provide an answer. In regard to this code, a pharmacist’s main goal is to maintain the trust of the patient which goes both ways; trust that the patient has listened and understood the use of the medication and will continuously use it the right manner, and in turn the patient trusts that you have provided to the best of your knowledge the most suitable medication. The theory that best fits the image portrayed by this code is Kant’s theory, “to always treat others as an end to themselves and never merely as means”, this means that a pharmacist isn’t promoting a specific drug and completely neglecting his patience health and terminating patients overall trust. The pharmacist should in no way lie to the patient while giving treatment even if their intention was for good. According to Kant’s theory good results never make an action morally
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