Sample Problems
Hypothetical Case # 1: Emergency Contraception
Jeng Jeng is a 19 year-old college student at Universidad de Kounikos. She presents a prescription for four Looveral tablets. The instructions are to take two immediately and two in twelve hours. The pharmacist on duty, Marc, has strong pro-life beliefs. He refuses to dispense the prescription believing that the prescription is being used as an abortifacient. The patient explains that she needs to have the prescription filled soon, as she shared her tragic story of being attacked and raped a day before. Marc insisted that she should seek counselling.
|Looveral contains ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel and is used as a contraceptive when taken one tablet per day. |
|When taken in a manner prescribed to the patient above it is intended as a morning-after-pill-emergency post |
|coital contraception, to inhibit or delay ovulation or to prohibit implantation of fertilized egg within 72 hours|
|of intercourse. |
Questions:
a. Does the pharmacist have a right to refuse to dispense the drug?
b. What are the implications of such refusal to dispense to the patient? Employer? Co-workers? Profession? Society?
c. What can be done in order to minimize negative repercussions in such case?
Hypothetical Case # 2: Right to die
Sir Junior owns and manages a small but established drugstore. One of his loyal customers is Mr. Bin, who presented a prescription to his employee Susie for 50 Kelotin 100mg tablets. The instruction is “Take as directed”.
The pharmacists approached Sir Junior, and mentioned that Mr. Bin may try to take all the tablets at once to end his life. Sir Junior took time to talk to the patient and found out that he has been diagnosed 8 months ago that he has liver cancer. At present, he is experiencing bouts of unbearable pain. Finally, as the conversation ends, Mr. Bin whispered to
Jeng Jeng is a 19 year-old college student at Universidad de Kounikos. She presents a prescription for four Looveral tablets. The instructions are to take two immediately and two in twelve hours. The pharmacist on duty, Marc, has strong pro-life beliefs. He refuses to dispense the prescription believing that the prescription is being used as an abortifacient. The patient explains that she needs to have the prescription filled soon, as she shared her tragic story of being attacked and raped a day before. Marc insisted that she should seek counselling.
|Looveral contains ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel and is used as a contraceptive when taken one tablet per day. |
|When taken in a manner prescribed to the patient above it is intended as a morning-after-pill-emergency post |
|coital contraception, to inhibit or delay ovulation or to prohibit implantation of fertilized egg within 72 hours|
|of intercourse. |
Questions:
a. Does the pharmacist have a right to refuse to dispense the drug?
b. What are the implications of such refusal to dispense to the patient? Employer? Co-workers? Profession? Society?
c. What can be done in order to minimize negative repercussions in such case?
Hypothetical Case # 2: Right to die
Sir Junior owns and manages a small but established drugstore. One of his loyal customers is Mr. Bin, who presented a prescription to his employee Susie for 50 Kelotin 100mg tablets. The instruction is “Take as directed”.
The pharmacists approached Sir Junior, and mentioned that Mr. Bin may try to take all the tablets at once to end his life. Sir Junior took time to talk to the patient and found out that he has been diagnosed 8 months ago that he has liver cancer. At present, he is experiencing bouts of unbearable pain. Finally, as the conversation ends, Mr. Bin whispered to