Code of pharmaceutical ethics

CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL ETHICS
BY TWINKLE BHATT
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
GYANMANJARI PHARMACY COLLEGE
BHAVNAGAR GUJARAT

CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL
ETHICS
❖ Introduction
❖ Definition
❖ Pharmacist in relation to his job
❖ Pharmacist in relation to his trade
❖ medical profession and his profession
❖ Pharmacist’s oath

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
❖ The code of moral principles or the science of
morals is termed as ethics.
❖ The pharmacy profession possesses noble ideas
and pious nature. It has been a career for
earning livelihood and has also got the attitude
of service and sacrifice in the interests of the
suffering humanity.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
❖ A pharmacist works in association with medical
professionals and others (who have been given the
responsibility of protecting the health of people) in
handling, selling, distributing, compounding, and
dispensing medical sub stances including poisons
and potent drugs. Generally, before anything else
the pharmacist has to support the needs of his
consumers.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
❖ Charaka (the ancient Indian philosopher, physician, and
pharmacist) stated that “Even if your own life be in danger you
should not betray or neglect the interests of your patients”. This
saying should be valued by each pharmacist.
❖ Pharmacy practice has been restricted by the Government only to
those who have qualified under regulatory requirements. The
Government also grants them privileges which are denied to
others and in return expects that the pharmacists should
understand their responsibilities and fulfill their professional
duties honorably for the well-being of the society.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
❖ As per the nature of pharmaceutical practice, its
demands are more than the ability of the individual to
carry out as quickly or as efficiently as the needs of the
public. Therefore, the pharmacist should always be
ready to provide information or advice to their
colleagues.
❖ Above everything, the pharmacist should be a good
citizen and should undertake and defend the laws of the
State and the Nation.

PRINCIPLES
Area of focus Principles
Consumer 1. Recognizing the Consumer’s Health and Well
-Being as the First Priority: A pharmacist
should make use of expert knowledge and
provide care to the consumer
compassionately and professionally.
2. Respecting the Consumer’s Autonomy and
Rights, and Encouraging them to Participate
in Decision-Making: A pharmacist should
respect the dignity and privacy of the
consumer, including the consumer’s
individuality, and their right to refuse advice
or treatment. He should also maintain the
privacy and confidentiality of the
information provided by the consumer.

PRINCIPLES
Community 1. Upholding the Reputation and Public
Trust of the Profession: A pharmacist
should not abuse the trust and respect
of individuals and society.
2. Acknowledging the Professional Roles
and Responsibilities to the Wider
Community: A pharmacist should
maintain accountable control and
supply of therapeutic goods and should
also contribute to public health and
enhance the quality use of medicines.

PRINCIPLES
Pharmacy
Profession
1. Demonstrating a Commitment to the
Development and Enhancing the
Profession: A pharmacist should
advance the profession by involving
himself in activities such as training
staff, engaging in teaching, acting as
a preceptor, mentoring students,
interns and colleagues, engaging in
discussions and participating in
initiatives to develop the profession,
and showing professional leadership.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
Pharmacy
Profession
2. Maintaining a Contemporary
Knowledge of Pharmacy Practice and
Ensuring Health and Competence to
Practice: A pharmacist should know
the importance of lifelong learning
and self -development and their effect
on professional competence. He
should also maintain personal health
to support health professional
colleagues.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
Pharmacy
Profession
3. Agreeing to Practice Only Under
Conditions which Uphold the
Professional independence,
Judgment, and Integrity of
Themselves or Others: A pharmacist
should exercise professional
autonomy, objectivity, and
independence and manage actual and
potential situations of conflict of
interest.

INTRODUCTION AND
DEFINITION
Business Practices Conducting the Pharmacy Business Ethically
and Professionally: A pharmacist should
conduct the business practices in the best
interest of the consumer by paying due
respect to colleagues, and upholding the
reputation of the profession.
Other Healthcare
Professionals
Working Collaboratively with Other Health
Professionals for Optimizing the Health
Outcomes of Consumers: A pharmacist
should consult and work co-operatively with
other healthcare professionals to achieve
expected or optimal health outcomes for the
consumer.

PHARMACIST IN RELATION
TO HIS JOB
With relation to job, the pharmacists should follow
the following ethics:
1. Scope of Pharmaceutical Services: Premises
registered under statutory requirements and opened
as a pharmacy should provide complete
pharmaceutical services including the supply of
frequently asked medicines without delaying. It also
involves the readiness to provide all time emergency
services.

TO HIS JOB
2. Conduct of the Pharmacy: The pharmacy should
be in such a condition that the risk of accidental
contamination in the preparation, dispensing, and
supply of medicines should be avoided.
The professional character of pharmacy is reflected
by the appearance of the premises; therefore, the
public should be made content with the fact that a
pharmacist is practicing pharmacy in an
establishment.

TO HIS JOB
The size, design and terms of signs, notices,
descriptions, wording on business, stationery, and
related indications should be restrained.
Descriptions denoting pharmaceutical qualifications
should be limited to those of which the use is
restricted by law and should not discriminate
between pharmacists.

TO HIS JOB
The premises should display a notice stating that
dispensing is carried out under Employees State
Insurance Scheme (ESIS) or any such other scheme
supported by Government. There should be a
pharmacist in every pharmacy, solely responsible
for controlling the pharmacy’s activities. In case,
the owner obstructs the pharmacist in his duties,
then it will be regarded as a failure on the part of
owner in maintaining and observing the standards.

TO HIS JOB
3. Handling of Prescriptions: The pharmacist on
receiving the prescription (presented to him for
dispensing) should not discuss or comment over it
with respect to the merits and demerits of the
therapeutic efficacy of the drug prescribed. The
pharmacist on receiving the prescription should not
show any expression of alarm or astonishment
because it may cause anxiety in patients and may
also hamper their confidence in the physician.

TO HIS JOB
If a patient makes any query regarding the
prescription, the pharmacist should answer very
carefully without offending the physician and
disclosing any information which was required to
be kept hidden from the patient. The pharmacist
cannot add, remove or replace any ingredient or
change the prescription’s content, without the
prescriber’s approval.

TO HIS JOB
But he may be allowed to do this if the change is
emergent or is demanded by the technique of the
pharmaceutical art and does not alter the
therapeutic action of the regime. If due to any
alteration, incompatibility or over -dosage, an error
is observed in the prescription, it should be referred
back to the prescriber for correction or approval of
the change suggested by the pharmacist.

TO HIS JOB
This task is purely for the benefit of the patient but
it should be carried out in such a way that the
reputation of the concerned physician does not get
affected. In case of refilling prescriptions, the
prescriber should guide the pharmacist with
appropriate instructions. The pharmacist should
advise the patients to use those medicines or
remedies which are prescribed by the physician.

TO HIS JOB
4. Handling of Drugs: All necessary steps should
be taken to dispense a drug in a correct manner.
All the ingredients with the help of scales and
measures should be weighed in correct
proportions and visual estimations should be
avoided.

TO HIS JOB
The pharmacist should never fill the prescription
with spurious, substandard and unethical
preparations, and should always use standard
quality drugs and medicinal preparations.
Poisonous, abusive or addictive drugs should be
dealt with full care by the pharmacist. These
preparations should be supplied to anyone only if it
has been prescribed to do so.

TO HIS JOB
5. Apprentice Pharmacist: When a pharmacist is an
in charge of a dispensary, drug store or hospital
pharmacy where intern pharmacists are trained
practically, he should provide the trainees with all
the work facilities. This is done so that the trainees
after completing their training have gained
sufficient technique and skill to become responsible
pharmacists. The trainee is not granted a certificate
if all the criteria are not fulfilled and he/she has not
proved themselves worthy enough.

TO HIS TRADE
In relation to trade, the pharmacist should follow
the following ethics:
1. Price Structure: The price being charged from the
customers should include the quality and quantity
of the commodity supp lied, and the labor invested
in their preparation so that the pharmacists are
supplied with proper monetary gain.

TO HIS TRADE
The knowledge, skill, time consumed, and
responsibility of the pharmacist should also be
considered while managing their earning, but the
customer also should not be burdened with
excessive taxes.

TO HIS TRADE
2. Fair Trade Practice: Prizes, gifts, or any kind of
allurement should not be offered to patronizes or
lower prices (than those charged by a fellow
pharmacist) for medical commodities should not be
charged intentionally in order to capture the
contemporary business.

TO HIS TRADE
If an order or prescription of a customer to be
served by some other dispensary is mistakenly
brought to any other dispensary, the latter should
direct the customer to the right place with out
accepting the prescription. The labels, trademarks,
signs, and symbols of other contemporaries should
not be copied.

TO HIS TRADE
3. Purchase of Drugs: Drugs should be purchased
only from genuine and reliable sources. A
pharmacist should not assist (directly or indirectly)
the manufacture, possession, distribution, and sale
of spurious or substandard drugs.

TO HIS TRADE
4. Hawking of Drugs: Drugs and medications should
neither be hawked, nor should be sold from door to
door.Pharmacies and drug stores should not follow
the “ self-service” method because it will result in
distribution of therapeutic substances without an
expert advice. Thus, encouraging self-medication is
undesirable.

TO HIS TRADE
5. Advertising and Displays: The pharmacist
should not use any display material for the sale
of in appropriate medicines or medical appliances
such as:
i. Wording, design, or illustration unfavorably
reflecting on other pharmacists,
ii. Disapproving reference to other suppliers,
products, remedies, or treatments,
iii. Misleading or exaggerated claims,
iv. The word “cure” for any disease or symptoms of
any disease,

TO HIS TRADE
v. Guarantee of therapeutic efficacy/treatment,
vi. Appeal to fear,
vii. Offer to refund the paid money,
viii. Prize, competition, or similar scheme,
ix. Reference to medical practitioner or a hospital,
or use of the terms “Doctor” or “ Dr.” or “
Nurse”, with the name of a preparation not
established, and
x. Reference to sexual weakness, premature
ageing, or loss of virility.

TO HIS TRADE
A pharmacy premise should not advertise any
article or preparation to the public with the aid of
any kind of display material mentioned above.
However, it is allowed if the reason for such
advertisement is genuine.

TO HIS TRADE
The pharmacy should not advertise or illustrate
contraceptive preparations and appliances until a
notice with the words “Family Planning Requisites”
or approval by the regulatory authorities. Lustful
and indecent publications of any kind should not be
sold or distributed on any condition as this would
be disadvantageous to the moral welfare of the
nation.

PHARMACIST IN RELATION TO
HIS MEDICAL PROFESSION
The pharmacist plays an essential role in medical
profession by acting as a mediator between a
medical professional and patient. However, few
limitations are faced by the pharmacist in this
profession:

1. Limitation of Professional Activity: The medical
practitioners do not open drug stores for practicing
pharmacy because it leads to coded prescriptions
and monopolistic practices. This proves to be
disadvantageous for profession of pharmacy and
interest of the patients.

Therefore, pharmacists should not practice medical
(diagnosing diseases and prescribing medicines)
even if the customer asks them. However in
accidental or emergency cases, a pharmacist may
help the victim with first aid. A pharmacist should
also not recommend a particular medical
practitioner (unless he has been asked to do so).

2. Clandestine Arrangements: A pharmacist should
not make a secret agreement or contract with any
physician who would provide him commission or
advantage by recommending the patients to his
drug store.

3. Libation with Public: A pharmacist should always
keep his knowledge upgraded by reading books,
journals, magazines, and other periodicals
regularly as he is the mediator between the medical
professionals and people. Information acquired by
the pharmacist during his professional activities
should not be revealed to any third person (unless
required by law to do so).

HIS PROFESSION
With relation to profession, the pharmacists should
follow the following ethics:
1. Professional Vigilance: A pharmacist should be
law-abiding, and should prevent doing activities
offensive to the society as well as to the
pharmacy profession. His duty is also to force
others to comply with the pharmaceutical
provisions and other laws and regulations.

HIS PROFESSION
He should not be afraid of bringing or causing a
miscreant (may be a member of his own profession)
to be brought to book. It is essential for a
pharmacist to help and cooperate with a fellow
member in his needs, scientific, technical, or else he
should be aware of the undesirable and move them
out of the profession. This helps maintaining the
name and traditions of the pharmacy profession.

HIS PROFESSION
2. Law-Abiding Citizen: A pharmacist should be
well -educated, and should possess a fair
knowledge of the laws of the land. He should be
aware of all the enactments related to food,
drug, pharmacy, health, sanitation, and should
comply with them. A pharmacist’s life cannot be
divided into different sections as he has to act as
a whole unit.

HIS PROFESSION
3. Relationship with Professional Organizations: If a
pharmacist wants to train his professional
colleagues about corporate life, he himself should
connect with and motivate certain organizations
which favour the scientific, moral, and cultural
well-being of pharma cists and are not working
against the code of pharmacy ethics.

PHARMACIST’S OATH
Given below is the Pharmacist’s Oath which should be taken
without hesitation by a young and potential pharmacist:
1. I swear by the Code of Ethics of Pharmacy Council of India
in relation to the community and shall act as an integral
part of healthcare team.
2. I shall uphold the laws and standards governing my
profession.
3. I shall strive to perfect and enlarge my knowledge to
contribute to the advancement of pharmacy and public
health.

PHARMACIST’S OATH
4. I shall follow the system, which I consider best for
pharmaceutical care and counseling of patient.
5. I shall endeavour to discover and manufacture drugs
of quality to alleviate sufferings of humanity.
6. I shall hold in confidence the knowledge gained
about the patients in connection with my
professional practice and never divulge unless
compelled to do so by the law.

PHARMACIST’S OATH
7. I shall associate with organizations having their
objectives for betterment of profession of pharmacy
and make contribution to carry out the work of these
organizations.
8. While I continue to keep this oath inviolate, may it
be granted t o me to enjoy life and practice of
pharmacy respected by all, at all times! Should I
trespass and violate the oath, may the reverse be my
lot.

Code of pharmaceutical ethics

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