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Pharmacy
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Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions
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Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions

A special issue of Pharmacy (ISSN 2226-4787).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 7282

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Betty Bouad Chaar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Interests: ethics in pharmacy; end of life decision-making; hospital pharmacy; opioid substitution treatment [OST] services and harm minimization in pharmacy; cultural competence and health literacy in pharmacy; impairment in pharmacy; sport pharmacy; complementary medicines in pharmacy; prescribing in pharmacy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pharmacists today are practising in a vastly different ecosystem to traditional models of practice and accepted norms of practice. Fast-tracked technological and healthcare advancements are emerging around the world with immense impact on healthcare delivery, including pharmacy, in the context of patient-centred care. No doubt the pandemic has also had impact on new emerging roles in pharmacy in many countries, such as vaccinating and rescheduling of many prescription medicines to “pharmacist-only” supply.

With pharmacists’ roles expanding, increased utility of artificial intelligence, and professional responsibilities are evolving. Ethical norms of practice are also expanding to encompass change and broader scope of practice. There is intense pressure on the profession to rise to the occasion to serve with integrity and enhance trust of the public. Ethical sensitivity and awareness of expectations of the public are therefore ever more important to the profession.

I invite you to share your thoughts and/or research on contemporary professional ethics in practice to this Special Edition of the Pharmacy Journal, entitled: Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions of the Profession of Pharmacy.

Dr. Betty Bouad Chaar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmacy is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • contemporary challenges in pharmacy practice
  • professional ethics in pharmacy
  • ethics and law in pharmacy
  • patient centred care
  • public trust in pharmacists
  • implicit bias in pharmacy practice
  • expanded roles in pharmacy
  • vaccination in pharmacy
  • pharmacists’ prescribing
  • AI in pharmacy
  • pharmacogenomics in pharmacy
  • conscientious objection in pharmacy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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13 pages, 1383 KiB  
Article
“I Solemnly Swear”: A Comparative Study of Codes of Professional Ethics amongst Pharmacists from Culturally Diverse European Countries
by Raquel Raimundo and Afonso Cavaco
Pharmacy 2024, 12(5), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12050143 - 24 Sep 2024
Viewed by 871
Abstract
Ethical practice is a universal concern for healthcare professionals, independent of their social, cultural, or religious background. This study aimed to assess and categorise statements published in codes of ethics for pharmacists from three diverse societies within the wider European area. The study [...] Read more.
Ethical practice is a universal concern for healthcare professionals, independent of their social, cultural, or religious background. This study aimed to assess and categorise statements published in codes of ethics for pharmacists from three diverse societies within the wider European area. The study followed a qualitative exploratory and triangular design, comparing the leading professional and ethical statements between three geographically apart countries (Portugal, Lithuania, and Turkey) and using the International Pharmaceutical Federation Code of Ethics proposal as a gold standard. Common core values such as honesty, integrity, and professional autonomy were identified across the countries’ codes, suggesting that shared recognised core values underpin pharmacists’ practice and policies in culturally diverse settings. None of the codes fully correspond to the framework the International Pharmaceutical Federation proposed. The analysis elicited significant inconsistencies between the codes for analogous practice models within the same continent. Further studies are needed to gain a more profound and comprehensive understanding of the underlying reasons for these discrepancies so that ethical weaknesses can be improved and harmonisation towards best-practice principles can benefit patients and healthcare systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)
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15 pages, 573 KiB  
Article
Exposure of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians to Violence in Community Pharmacies in Southeast Europe: Frequency and Ethical Considerations
by Monika Popčević, Tanja Javorina, Miljenko Košiček and Arijana Meštrović
Pharmacy 2024, 12(3), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12030088 - 4 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1261
Abstract
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacies are exposed to the risk of violence in their workplaces. Studies have shown that workplace violence is affecting their job satisfaction, productivity, and mental health. This study aims to identify the frequency of different types [...] Read more.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacies are exposed to the risk of violence in their workplaces. Studies have shown that workplace violence is affecting their job satisfaction, productivity, and mental health. This study aims to identify the frequency of different types of violence, as well as the common perpetrators that community pharmacy staff in SEE (Southeast Europe) are dealing with. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire created for this purpose. Selected community pharmacies in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro participated in this study. In total, 732 responses were collected from 24 pharmacy chains or independent pharmacies including all community pharmacy staff. More than 80% of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reported having been exposed to verbal violence at the workplace, while more than 20% of them reported physical and sexual violence in the preceding 12 months. There were no statistically significant differences between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, gender, age groups, or countries in relation to exposure to physical, verbal, and sexual violence. The most common perpetrators were identified as patients/clients. More than 90% of pharmacy staff reported they did not receive any kind of support from their employer nor any other help after experiencing a robbery. There is a need for a structured approach to addressing violence in pharmacies including organized support for pharmacy staff. Achieving quality patient care, despite dealing with violent individuals or situations daily, is one of the greatest ethical challenges for healthcare providers in community pharmacies to be empowered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)
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15 pages, 615 KiB  
Article
Pharmacists’ Attitudes towards Medically Assisted Dying
by Lun Shen Wong, Shane L. Scahill, Emma Barton, Bert Van der Werf, Jessica Boey and Sanyogita (Sanya) Ram
Pharmacy 2024, 12(2), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12020040 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2162
Abstract
Aims: We aimed to explore pharmacists’ attitudes and support toward medically assisted dying (MaiD) through the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (EOLC), their willingness to provide services in this area of practice, and the influences on their decisions. Methods: The study was [...] Read more.
Aims: We aimed to explore pharmacists’ attitudes and support toward medically assisted dying (MaiD) through the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (EOLC), their willingness to provide services in this area of practice, and the influences on their decisions. Methods: The study was conducted via an anonymous, online QualtricsTM survey of pharmacists. Registered New Zealand pharmacists who agreed to receive surveys from the two Schools of Pharmacy as part of their Annual Practicing Certificate renewal were invited to participate through an email with a Qualtrics URL link. The survey contained questions regarding demographics, awareness, knowledge, support for, and attitudes and willingness to participate. Results: Of the 335 responses received, 289 were valid and included in the analysis. Most participants supported legally assisted medical dying (58%), almost a third of participants did not support it (29%), and 13% of respondents were unsure. The five primary considerations that participants perceived to be beneficial included support from legislation, respect for patient autonomy, discussions around morality, ending suffering, and preserving dignity. The main concerns were legal, personal bias, palliation, stigmatisation, and vulnerability. Conclusions: The influences on the decision by pharmacists to support and willingness to participate in the provision of services consistent with the EOLC are complex and multifactorial. Diverse factors may influence attitudes, of which religion is the most significant factor in not supporting the Act or willingness to participate. Clarity and standardised guidance to ensure that assisted dying queries are appropriately managed in practice would help to address any potential access issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)
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7 pages, 172 KiB  
Commentary
Drug Shortage and Ethical Issues: Integrating Multidisciplinary Perspectives with a Shared Ethical Framework
by Maya C. Wai
Pharmacy 2024, 12(5), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12050136 - 6 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1273
Abstract
Drug shortages can cause ethical dilemmas when no systematic, equitable allocation, or utilization schema is in place. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an ethical framework outlining moral values was proposed as way to approach allocating limited resources to patients. In addition to an ethical [...] Read more.
Drug shortages can cause ethical dilemmas when no systematic, equitable allocation, or utilization schema is in place. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an ethical framework outlining moral values was proposed as way to approach allocating limited resources to patients. In addition to an ethical perspective, it is prudent to consider costs. Examining existing economic frameworks and combining them with an ethical perspective may provide a practical, systematic process for decision makers when allocating drugs in short supply. Drug shortages continue to impact multiple areas across different subspecialties of medicine due to multiple factors, including limited manufacturers, regulatory issues, and costs. All of these factors make it difficult to anticipate and manage drug shortages effectively, but developing a combined framework may reduce some of the ethical and equitable ambiguity with regards to patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)
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