Healthcare professional, including pharmacists, face numerous ethical dilemmas in their professional practice. In this particular scenario, the ethical conflict arises when Dr. Thomas, the pharmacist-in-charge, asks myself, the new staff pharmacist, to fill a prescription for Mrs. Lapworth. The prescription, prescribed by Dr. Everett, is written for Sonata 10 mg, which is a schedule IV hypnotic indicated for the treatment of insomnia. Dr. Thomas instructs me to empty out the original Sonata 10 mg capsules and fill them with the inert powder instead. Then, counsel Mrs. Lapworth as it would be the original prescribed drug. Needless to say, I would be facing several violations, if I would proceed as requested. My concern is that I would be misbranding the prescription, committing billing fraud, and
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Lapworth on the therapy outcome, onset, adverse effects, on have to not exceed the maximum daily dose and such would inherently require the employment of deception on my part, which not only conflicts with the several APhA Code of Ethics, but also collides with my personal beliefs. For example, one of the Code of ethics states to “respect the autonomy and dignity of the patient”, however the action of the dispensing (and prescribing), if it is not disclosed, does not respect patient’s autonomy and dignity. I perhaps see the action being justified in the past, since the medical practice was based on paternalistic model, but nowadays when we are striving for patient centered care such deception has no place in the professional practice. Healthcare professionals should be taking on more of a collaborative role providing patient with possible option and then guiding the patient to reach the informed decision. Furthermore, the action deviates from truth and trustworthiness virtues which correlate with another APhA Code of Ethics calling for the pharmacist to act with honesty and integrity in professional
Lapworth on the therapy outcome, onset, adverse effects, on have to not exceed the maximum daily dose and such would inherently require the employment of deception on my part, which not only conflicts with the several APhA Code of Ethics, but also collides with my personal beliefs. For example, one of the Code of ethics states to “respect the autonomy and dignity of the patient”, however the action of the dispensing (and prescribing), if it is not disclosed, does not respect patient’s autonomy and dignity. I perhaps see the action being justified in the past, since the medical practice was based on paternalistic model, but nowadays when we are striving for patient centered care such deception has no place in the professional practice. Healthcare professionals should be taking on more of a collaborative role providing patient with possible option and then guiding the patient to reach the informed decision. Furthermore, the action deviates from truth and trustworthiness virtues which correlate with another APhA Code of Ethics calling for the pharmacist to act with honesty and integrity in professional