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Ethics and Ethical Standards for Pharmacists

Course Content

1

Section 1: Introduction

  • 1.1 Why ethics matters in Canadian pharmacy practice

  • 1.2 The regulatory framework: NAPRA and provincial and territorial pharmacy colleges

  • 1.3 Ethics as the foundation of trust in medicines and patient care

2

Section 2: Core Ethical Principles

  • 2.1 Autonomy: respecting patient rights and informed choice

  • 2.2 Beneficence: acting in the patient’s best interests

  • 2.3 Non-maleficence: the duty to do no harm

  • 2.4 Justice: fairness, equity, and cultural safety

3

Section 3: Ethical Standards

  • 3.1 Honesty, transparency, and integrity in dispensing and advice

  • 3.2 Confidentiality and patient health information

  • 3.3 Maintaining competence and safe practice

  • 3.4 Managing conflicts of interest in pharmacy

  • 3.5 Professional boundaries in the pharmacist-patient relationship

4

Section 4: Ethics in Decision-Making

  • 4.1 Informed consent and shared decision-making in pharmacy practice

  • 4.2 Truth-telling and disclosure of dispensing errors

  • 4.3 Ethical challenges in medication supply, shortages, and overtreatment

  • 4.4 Ethical issues in access to medicines and public health responsibilities

5

Section 5: Breaches & Consequences

  • 5.1 Common breaches in pharmacy practice

  • 5.2 How concerns are reported and investigated by pharmacy regulators

  • 5.3 Possible outcomes of investigations

  • 5.4 Impact of ethical breaches

6

Section 6: Reflection, Insight & Remediation

  • 6.1 Self-awareness as the basis of ethical growth

  • 6.2 Reflective practice as required by pharmacy regulators

  • 6.3 Demonstrating insight when standards are questioned

  • 6.4 Remediation options: CPD, mentorship, counselling, or practice changes

  • 6.5 How reflection and remediation protect the public and support growth