Pharmacy Law and Ethics

Running head: PHARMACY LAW AND ETHICS
Pharmacy Law and Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

PHARMACY LAW AND ETHICS
A study of pharmacy law is a significant part to understand the functions of the
pharmacist and the regulation of their behaviour. Law and ethics, being an important subject
matter for the traditional functions of the pharmacists, is largely introduced as a module in the
program of Master of Pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire, in UK. The module
provides variety of styles for the teaching pharmacy law from various levels of eponymous
taxonomy of Bloom to educate ethically aware pharmacists.
Gallgher in his article, Building on Bloom: a paradigm for teaching pharmacy law and
ethics from the UK, has recognised that Bloom, in 1956, explored for the first time, the
concept of the cognitive domain (Gallagher, 2011). The theory endeavours to outline the
teaching and learning practice in modern time. Honey and Mumford has classified learners as
theorists, activists, pragmatists and reflectors. They are able to function at an educational
development level which is correlated to a prudent level in the hierarchy of Bloom’s
paradigm.
In the pharmacy practice, law and ethics undertakes to fulfil and regulate overlapping
functions. Ethics in pharmacy practice, are aspirational, which provides behavioural
guidelines in the society. Ethics are enforced by a voluntary commitment to a standard by an
individual member. The pharmacy law provides a minimum standard of conduct which is
expected from a governing society (Merrills & Fisher, 2013). The law sets out punishment for
its non-compliance. Professional ethics could be found in the codes like State Boards of
Pharmacy Codes of Professional Conduct in Unites States or Medicine, Ethics and practice in
UK. On the other hand, legal guidelines are provided in the statutes or the decision of the
court. However, the law enacted is based on some ethical values, no matter how the ethical
principles and legal principles differ from each other. Though pharmacy law is comprised of
a set of rules, which is to be followed; the ethics in this practice is a rational and subtle
subject, which is flexible for several teaching styles.

PHARMACY LAW AND ETHICS
Royal Pharmaceutical society of Great Britain had the responsibility for the regulation
of the conduct of the Pharmacists, in UK until 2010. The responsibility is now given on the
General Pharmaceutical Council. The purpose of teaching pharmacy law in UK was to
prevent the student from facing a disgrace in the court and their fitness practice machinery or
their regulatory body. Law is introduced to provide a minimum expected conduct for the
pharmacy practices, rather than setting an aspirational standard. The teaching of pharmacy
law, provides knowledge about the statutes to the student, which has its effect on pharmacy
practices to require sanctions from the Court or a hearing of General Pharmaceutical Council.
They are made aware of the rigidity of English Law to avoid such conflict. The pharmacy
regulator aims to impose a consequence to the pharmacists who violates the rules and code of
ethics. The program aims to recognise and impose obligations relating to the pharmacy
practice on the students. The program is also aimed at providing a knowledge and
comprehension of the law relating to the pharmacy practice and the role of Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professions in maintain the
standard of professional practice. The learning outcome derived from these aims are to
describe the role and significance of law and the sources of law and nature of the litigation. It
is about being able to display knowledge of principle legislation and cases related to the
pharmacy practice. The program describes the organisation of NHS, the complaints and the
disciplinary procedures. The outcomes were mainly formulated to make sure that the students
are not exposed to disciplinary procedures of the professional regulators of theirs. It requires
the student to satisfy the requirements in the lower level of the cognitive domain. Teaching of
law is can be achieved through lectures and working knowledge transmitted to the student.
The moral teaching style is reinforced by seminars, which operates at the higher order of the
cognitive domain. This gives an opportunity to the student to apply knowledge at a higher
order.