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The ethical challenges in pharmacy practice in community Pharmacies: A qualitative study
Rasool Esmalipour1, Bagher Larijani2, Neda Mehrdad3,4
1Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, and School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Summary
Pharmacists face ethical challenges impacting pharmaceutical care, primarily concerning professionalism and regulations. Addressing these requires enhanced professionalism education and policy reform for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy Practice and Ethics
- Healthcare Professionalism
Background:
- Pharmacists encounter daily ethical dilemmas that can hinder optimal pharmaceutical care delivery.
- Understanding these challenges is crucial for improving professional practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and identify the ethical challenges encountered in community pharmacy practice.
- To provide insights for enhancing ethical standards in pharmacy.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative exploratory study utilizing open-ended interviews and focus group discussions.
- Content analysis of transcribed interviews from 40 experienced pharmacists (PharmD).
- Expert confirmation of findings in a dedicated focus group on medical and pharmacy ethics.
Main Results:
- Identified ethical challenges categorized into professionalism, professional communication, and regulatory/policy issues.
- Professionalism and commitment emerged as key themes, alongside significant obstacles from existing regulations.
- 40 pharmacists were interviewed, with data yielding 3 main themes, 11 subthemes, and 102 codes.
Conclusions:
- Professionalism and commitment are central to pharmacy practice challenges.
- Current regulations and policies present substantial barriers to effective pharmacy practice and patient care.
- Recommendations include strengthening professionalism education and revising relevant regulations and policies.
Keywords:
Community pharmacyEthical challengesPharmaceutical carePharmacy ethicsPharmacy practiceProfessionalismMore Related Videos
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