The document outlines the importance of ethics in medical laboratory science, emphasizing a set of moral codes that guide professionals in their practice. It highlights key principles such as autonomy, beneficence, and confidentiality, while detailing obligations to clients and colleagues, and the consequences of unethical behavior. Legal implications of ethical breaches, including potential litigation, are also discussed, alongside references to relevant codes and regulations.

1. Ethics in Medical
Laboratory Science
Practice
KABIRU MUHAMMAD KANI AMLSCN,
Haematology and Blood Bank, Laboratory department
Federal medical centre, Birnin kudu.

2. ETHICS
Character, custom, principles
or standards of human
conduct,
•It is also referred to as moral

3. •According to Websters’s dictionary,
Ethics is a concept that deals with
moral issues of good and bad,
based on social norms.
•It’s the code written or unwritten
that guides the behaviour of human
beings.

4. Professional Ethics (M.L.S.)
•It is a set of moral code of
conducts that guides M.L.
professionals in their
services.

5. Professional Ethics: Needs
1. Have clear boundaries
2. Have commonly acceptable norms
3. Enhance respect within and outside the
profession
4. Protect the RIGHTS of the client/patient
5. Protect the RIGHTS and privileges of the
professional
Physiopedia

6. Objectives of the rules
• to enable practitioners of MLS maintain and
sustain best practices globally accepted;
• Ensure that all practitioners discharge their
duties in a manner that earns the trust of pt
and respect of the society;
• Create public as ton the duties and what to
expect from practitioners; and
• Provide a regulatory framework to be used
by the disciplinary organs of the council to
determine professional conduct

7. Principles of ethics
1. Autonomy
2. Beneficence
3. Justice
4. Non-maleficence
5. Confidentiality
6. Dissipation of knowledge to client
Raja et.al

8. Rules of
practice as MLS,
MLT & MLA

9. Obligations to the council
• Newly qualified MLS shall be inducted
• Foreign graduates shall sit and pass proficiency
exam
• Every practitioner shall take an Oarth of
allegiance to the council and MLS profession in
general
• Every practitioner shall pay annual practicing
fees to earn license or prac. letter
• Every practitioner shall participate CPD proram

10. Rules of professional conduct
MLSCN, NMCN, PCN, MDCN, MRTBN, HIM codes,
• Ensure the clients’ well being is placed above
personal interests.
• Every practitioner shall be personally
accountable for the quality and integrity of care
given to clients/Pts
• Exercise professional judgment, skill and care.

11. • Practice the principle of Informed consent in
patient’s care.
• The work environment should be clean,
observe all safety precautions.
• Make provision for handling and disposal of
hazardous materials and share ideas that
relates to the safety of the environment and
reducing wastes.

12. • Maintain professional integrity and respect to
all pts with regard to their age, sex, culture,
religion and ethnicity.
• Maintain strict confidentiality on all info gained
during practice & protect pt’s right to privacy.
• Reduce patients’ suffering to the barest
minimum

13. • Ensure that tests are done with a high level of
accuracy and timeliness.
• Be honest and realistic in reporting test results
or based on available data
• All experimental studies, genetics or
reproductive issues should comply with the
institutional ethical standards and where such
do not exist should comply with state or
national ethical standards
• Reject bribery in all its forms

14. Private practice
• A registered practitioner in full time employment
in the public service shall not engage himself in
extra-mural private practice during official duty
time under any circumstance.
However,
• 5th schedule, Part I: (code of conduct for public
officers) section 2 (b) states that: A public officer
employed on full-time basis shall NOT engage or
participate in any private business, profession or
trade…FARMING
MLSCN, MDCN, 1999 Const. FRN

15. Obligations to colleagues and
profession
• Practice within the scope of one’s
professional competence.
• Where service is beyond one’s capacity,
she/he should summon another
professional with necessary capacity or
refer patient approp

16. • Share knowledge among colleagues with a
view to promoting learning and
professionalism
• Establish cordial working relationship with
other heath care professionals to achieve
high standards of pt’s care

17. Professional negligence
MLSCN Rules
• Include among others:
• Falcification of lab documentation and Pt
records
• Destruction, theft of equipment &
tempering with specimens or materials
• Use of verbal abusive words, physical
threat or harmful behaviour

18. • Inapropriate or unauthorised use of lab
equip., supplies, reagents, data ….
• Non-compliance with work rules, policies
or procedures
• Failure to carry out scheduled equip.
maintenance as pesrcribed
• Creating unnecessary risk of exposure to
harm arising from fire, env’l, chemical or
bio-hazard

19. Ethical Obligations In Cases
• Confidentiality: Why?
– Public knowledge of health records can cause
discrimination and embarrassment
– Required by law and professional code, a
breach of which can lead to disciplinary and
legal action against an organization and
employee

20. Ethical Obligations In Cases
• Confidentiality: What is covered?
– Personal information that can identify a pt
– Treatment information
– Details about illness and/or diagnosis
– Medical Record
– Conversation btw clinician and Pt and/or
family.

21. Legal Implications of Ethical Breaches in
MLS Practice
* Defaulters are liable to litigation and
punishment
* Professionals should report defaulters and
malpractices without any prejudice to relevant
authorities. Failure to report warrant
punishment as well.
MLSCN rules/codes, MDCN codes

22. •COMMENTS!
• CONTRIBUTIONS!
Thank you
•QUESTIONS!!!

23. Acknowledgment and Bibliography
• MLSCN rules of professional conduct.
• MRTBN codes
• MDCN code of medical ethics in Nigeria.
• PCN code of ethics for pharmacists
• NMCN codes of professional conduct
• 1999 constitution of FRN as amended
• Babalola Abegunde (2013) Legal Implications of Ethical Breaches in
Medical Practice: Nigeria a Case Study, AJHSS. 1 (3) MDPDT authority v
Okonkwo; e
• Joseph OF, Olufemi OD, Abiodun CJ and Oluwole AB (2012) knowledge of
medical ethics among Nigerian medical Dictors. NMJ 53 (4): 226-230.
• Raja K, Davis F and Sivakumar T, Ethical isssues perspective for the
physiotherapist
• Websters’s dictionary
• Physiopedia
• Wikipedia