Activity 6

Case Scenario

An ethical dilemma in situation where personal values and duty contends against each
other must apply a systematic analysis reflection on moral principles to be guided on the right
course of actions. In the perspective of principle-based approach, the case of the pharmacist
requested to dispense an emergency contraceptive against his personal values must be decided
according to what is systematically correct. In this case, the principles of non-maleficence and
autonomy goes into the picture.
Autonomy is defined as the ability to determine a decision without controlling
interferences. In the case given, both the pharmacist and the patient holds autonomy as they are
both entitled to decide on what decisions to take, according to their own volition while
constrained by their individual accountabilities. The patient has the autonomy to decide on
whether she would take the emergency contraceptive or not, depending upon her conviction and
the moral values she upholds. Meanwhile, the pharmacist also has the autonomy to decide
whether to dispense the emergency contraceptive or not, mainly because his value and
perspective of morality does not prescribe him to do so. However, the pharmacist at that moment
is standing on a position where he is expected to act not as a private individual, but a
professional who lawfully abides to his duty. Hence, his personal values should not interfere in
the conduct of his duty as a pharmacist especially in an emergency medical situation.
In relation, the value of non-maleficence establishes that an individual holds the
obligation to avoid posing harm to other people. The identification of what may generally
constitute harm may be broad and even diverse due to various perspectives but in the case, the
pharmacist must look into the situation as a matter of medical emergency where a patient must
have access to more options for liberty of choice. To assure the safety of the patient in decision-
making and considering the situation of unpreparedness to pregnancy, the pharmacist must
respond in a way that he orients to the patient the repercussions of either decisions that she
would take. The patient must be oriented in such a way that the pharmacist does not inject his
personal values but rather educating the patient on both of its advantages and disadvantages in
medical terms. In response, the patient would then decide upon counsel if she would take the
decision or not. That way, the harm from the side effects from the medicine or the risk in
continuing pregnancy can be avoided according to the autonomous decision of the patient.
The principle-based approach in management ethics can be one of the ideal guides for
right conduct, especially in decision –making process in the field of pharmaceutical profession.
A good pharmacist knows how to be independent in making decisions while recognizing the
prerogative of the patient to decide on their own. Additionally, the primary consideration that a
professional must take is assuring that the patient shall not be put to harm or jeopardy, generally.