ETHICS AND DEONTOLOGY IN PHARMACY

Abstract

Moral and ethical principles in production and distribution of medicaments in R Slovenia are based on medieval heritage reflected in Dispensatorium Norinbergense by Valerius Cordus (1545) as proven by the solemn pledge given by Joanes Leykauff, apothecary at Novo mesto (1598) and the Apothecaries ordinance for the Duchy of Creina (given in Ljubljana, 1710). The subsequent evolution of pharmacy demonstrates the continuos care for quality production and distribution of medicament according to ethical and deontological normatives of its time.Codex of pharmaceutical ethics of the Slovenian pharmaceutical society (2000), Codex of apothecaries deontology by the Apothecaries chamber of Slovenia (1994), The deontological codex of medicinal biochemists of Slovenia (1992) are three basic documents for pharmacist’s activities in Slovenia. Detailed instructions on production, distribution, prescribing and expediting to patients are given by the Medicinal products act and Medical devices act already harmonized with the European aquis communautaire.Some ethical dilemmas concerning prescription free medicinals and selfmedication in EC and R Slovenia are presented. Insufficient or nonexistent communication between patients, medical doctors and pharmacists lead to noncompliant or risky medicamentation.

Keywords

• medicinals
• morals
• patient autonomy
• fair deal