Ethics in Pharmacy Flashcards
7 cards from real Pharmacy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics in Pharmacy flashcards as text
A pharmacist is asked to compound a medication that lacks FDA approval for any indication. The most ethical approach is to:
Answer: Compound only when there is a legitimate medical need that cannot be met by a commercially available product
Compounding is ethically justified when it addresses a genuine, individualized patient need unmet by commercially available products, per FDAMA guidelines.
A pharmacist who is also a part-owner of a specialty pharmacy refers patients to that pharmacy without disclosure. This is an example of:
Answer: A conflict of interest that must be disclosed
Financial relationships that could influence clinical recommendations must be disclosed to patients to maintain transparency and trust.
When a minor seeks emergency contraception without parental consent, the pharmacist should:
Answer: Know the applicable state law, as many states allow minors to consent to emergency contraception independently
Minor consent laws vary by state; many permit minors to independently consent to emergency contraception and other reproductive health services.
An error occurs in which the wrong drug is dispensed but is caught before patient harm. Ethically, the pharmacist should:
Answer: Disclose the error to the patient and document it in the pharmacy's error reporting system
Ethical practice requires transparency about errors — patients deserve to know, and system reporting promotes safety improvement.
A patient with schizophrenia refuses their antipsychotic medication. After confirming they are legally competent, the pharmacist's ethical duty is to:
Answer: Respect the refusal, provide counseling on the risks, and communicate with the prescriber
Competent patients have an absolute right to refuse medication; the pharmacist's role is to educate and communicate, not override the decision.
Which of the following represents an ethically appropriate relationship between a pharmacist and a pharmaceutical manufacturer?
Answer: Participating in unbiased continuing education sponsored by a manufacturer with full disclosure
Pharmacists may participate in industry-sponsored education when it is unbiased, scientifically accurate, and relationships are fully disclosed.
A pharmacist working at a chain pharmacy is pressured by management to reduce counseling time to improve throughput. The most ethical response is to:
Answer: Maintain professional counseling standards and escalate concerns through appropriate channels
Professional obligations to patient care cannot be overridden by employer productivity pressures; pharmacists must advocate for conditions that allow safe practice.