Pharmacy Ethics in Pharmacy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pharmacist suspects a prescriber is writing fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances. What is the most appropriate action?
- Fill the prescriptions as written since the pharmacist cannot verify intent
- Report suspicions to the state board of pharmacy and relevant authorities (Correct answer)
- Confront the prescriber directly and demand an explanation
- Refuse all future prescriptions from that prescriber without investigation
Correct answer: Report suspicions to the state board of pharmacy and relevant authorities
Pharmacists have a professional and legal duty to report suspected prescription fraud to appropriate regulatory and law enforcement authorities.
Question 2: Which ethical principle is most directly violated when a pharmacist dispenses a medication knowing the patient cannot afford follow-up care needed to use it safely?
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Non-maleficence
Non-maleficence ('do no harm') is violated when a pharmacist knowingly facilitates a situation that could result in patient harm.
Question 3: A pharmacy technician tells you they overheard a coworker sharing a patient's HIV status with an unauthorized staff member. What should you do?
- Ignore it as secondhand information
- Counsel the coworker privately and take no further action
- Document the incident and report it per your facility's HIPAA breach protocol (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient if they mind that their information was shared
Correct answer: Document the incident and report it per your facility's HIPAA breach protocol
HIPAA breaches must be documented and reported through established institutional protocols, not handled informally.
Question 4: The principle of veracity in pharmacy ethics primarily means:
- Providing accurate drug information and being truthful with patients (Correct answer)
- Keeping patient information confidential
- Distributing medications fairly across the population
- Respecting the patient's right to make their own decisions
Correct answer: Providing accurate drug information and being truthful with patients
Veracity obligates pharmacists to be truthful and provide accurate, honest information in all professional communications.
Question 5: A patient requests that their methadone maintenance therapy information not be shared with their primary care physician. How should the pharmacist respond?
- Honor the request completely under all circumstances
- Inform the patient that substance use treatment records have special protections under 42 CFR Part 2 (Correct answer)
- Share the information anyway since the PCP needs it for safe care
- Discharge the patient from the pharmacy for being uncooperative
Correct answer: Inform the patient that substance use treatment records have special protections under 42 CFR Part 2
Substance use disorder treatment records are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, which imposes stricter confidentiality rules than standard HIPAA.
Question 6: A terminally ill patient asks if they can take a higher dose of their pain medication to 'end things sooner.' What is the pharmacist's ethical obligation?
- Provide the information since the patient has autonomy
- Decline to assist and refer the patient to appropriate palliative care and counseling resources (Correct answer)
- Call the police immediately
- Dispense extra medication compassionately
Correct answer: Decline to assist and refer the patient to appropriate palliative care and counseling resources
Pharmacists must not facilitate assisted suicide unless in a jurisdiction where it is legal, and should redirect patients to appropriate support resources.
Question 7: A pharmacy student on rotation witnesses their preceptor committing what appears to be a billing fraud. The student's most appropriate action is to:
- Remain silent to protect the preceptor-student relationship
- Immediately confront the preceptor in front of patients
- Report the concern through appropriate channels such as the school's compliance office (Correct answer)
- Wait until graduation before reporting to avoid academic consequences
Correct answer: Report the concern through appropriate channels such as the school's compliance office
Reporting suspected fraud through proper institutional channels is an ethical obligation that applies regardless of professional hierarchy.
Pharmacy Ethics in Pharmacy 2
A pharmacist suspects a prescriber is writing fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances.
What is the most appropriate action?