Exploring the ethics of prescribing medicines

The delivery of holistic care should incorporate patient empowerment through the promotion of health and self-help measures, including pain relief. In this article, the author, a newly qualified independent prescriber, explains why she believes that encouraging patients to buy over-the-counter medication is morally acceptable and based on the principles of beneficence and non-malevolence. She also reflects on her prescribing decisions in the context of ethics, health economics and personal perspective for four patients with similar injuries. The author works in Wales, where prescriptions are free to residents.