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Background material by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. for Year 1 Semester 2 PPSD session on 6th February 2008.
GENERAL ETHICO-LEGAL GUIDELINES IN DRUG PRESCRIPTION:
a. Describe general ethico-legal guidelines for the prescribing physician (signing a prescription means legal responsibility, doctor should have sufficient knowledge and experience with the drug, check for other treatments to avoid drug interactions, no gifts from pharmaceutical companies, no business interest in the drug or pharmacy that sells it).
2. ETHICO-LEGAL ISSUES IN DRUG PRESCRIPTION:
a. Describe the process of prescription (explain benefits and risks of the drug to the patient, seek informed consent, provide written instructions on how to use the drug, record time data and dosage, make arrangements for monitoring where necessary).
b. Discuss ethico-legal guidelines for ‘lifestyle drugs’ (they improve quality of life but do not cure a specific disease such as anti-obesity, antidepressants, hair loss).
c. Explain how a physician can deal with pressure from the employer regarding drug rationing (doctor should follow only clinical guidelines but must consider cost overall).
d. Describe ethico-legal guidelines for self-prescribing and prescribing for family members.
e. Describe special regulation on prescribing controlled drugs and prescribing for addicts.
f. Describe ethico-legal guidelines of prescribing by e-mail or telephone (patient known to doctor, examination not necessary, no need for monitoring).
3. ETHICO-LEGAL VIOLATIONS OF A FINANCIAL NATURE:
a. Describe ethical guidelines on doctors accepting gifts, free drug samples, hospitality, conference expenses, being paid for time spent meeting pharmaceutical representatives, etc from pharmaceutical agents.
b. Explain ethico-legal guidelines for physician participation in market research by pharmaceutical companies (patient confidentiality, payments will not influence prescription). c. Explain ethico-legal guidelines for doctors who have outside financial interests (co-ownership of a pharmacy or a diagnostic center or a health facility (they have to disclose their interest while prescribing).
4. ETHICO-LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO PHARMACO-GENETICS
a. Explain the purpose of asking for a history of drug allergies. (ask for genetic information, ask for drug allergies).
5. ETHICO-LEGAL GUIDELINES FOR DRUG ADMINISTRATION:
a. safety,
b. dose,
c. route,
d. procedure
e. Describe ethico-legal guidelines on covert drug administration to incompetent patients
f. Describe ethico-legal guidelines on reporting adverse drug reactions.