Submission to the Alberta College of Pharmacists

Re: Draft Code of Ethics

---

Appendix "B"

The Exercise of Freedom of Conscience in Pharmacy

Professional and Regulatory Responses

Summary - February, 2009

Note: For the purpose of this table, the most recent statement of an entity is taken to be its position on the issue. Details are found in Appendix "C".

---

Legend

• (NA) - Not Addressed
  • The issue of conscientious objection is not addressed.
    
• (P) - Provide
  • Conscientious objection is prohibited. The objecting pharmacist is required to provide the controversial drug or service.
    
• (PPA) - Provide or Personally Act
  • The objecting pharmacist is required to facilitate or arrange access to the controversial drug or service by referral to a specific person or entity, or by some other act, and to provide the controversial drug or service if this is not possible.
    
• (PA) - Personal Action
  • The objecting pharmacist is required to facilitate or arrange access to the controversial drug or service by referral to a specific person or entity, or by some other act.
    
• (SC) - Systemic Cooperation
  • The objecting pharmacist is not required to directly assist in the delivery of a drug or service, but is to work cooperatively within a system that allows patients to access controversial drugs and services through other sources.
    
• (PA/SC) - Personal Action or Systemic Cooperation
  • An objecting pharmacist may directly assist in the delivery of a drug or service by referral to a specific person or entity, or by some other act, OR work cooperatively within a system that allows patients to access controversial drugs and services through other sources.
    
• (ND) - No Duty
  • No duty is imposed upon an objecting pharmacist.
    
• (EAS) - Includes consideration of pharmacist involvement in execution
  
• (EX) - Includes consideration of pharmacist involvement in euthanasia or assisted suicide
  
• * - Required by statute

---

AUSTRALIA

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

• Code of Professional Conduct 1998 ..........................PA
• Ethical Issues in Declining to Supply ................... .PA/SC

Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia

• Code of Ethics.......................................................NA

New South Wales

• Pharmacy Board of New South Wales

  • Pharmacy Practice Act ...................................NA

Australian Capital Territory

• Pharmacy Board of the ACT................................................NA

Northern Territory

• Pharmacy Board of the Northern Territory

  • As per APhS and SHPhA
    Practice Standards ....................................PA/SC

Queensland

• Pharmacy Board of Queensland

  • As per PhSA .............................................PA/SC

Tasmania

• Pharmacy Board of Tasmania

  • As per APhS and SHPhA
    via Pharmacy Code .................................. PA/SC

Victoria

• Pharmacy Board of Victoria

  • As per APhS via Guidelines 2005 ..................PA/SC

---

CANADA

National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA)

• Model Statement Regarding Pharmacists' Refusal
  to Provide Products or Services
  for Moral or Religious Reasons ..................................PA
• Model Standards of Practice
  for Canadian Pharmacists ........................................NA
• Emergency Contraception ........................................PA

Canadian Pharmacists Association

• Brief to Senate Committee 1994 ...........................PA/EA

British Columbia

• College of Pharmacists of British Columbia

  • Ethics Committee ..............................PPA/EAS/EX
  • Code of Ethics .............................................PPA

Alberta

• College of Pharmacists of Alberta

  • Code of Ethics 2008 .................................PA/ SC
  • Draft Code 2009 ............................................NA

Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists

  • Statement Regarding Pharmacists'
    Refusalto Provide Products or Services
    for Moral or Religious Reasons ......................PA/SC

Nova Scotia

• Nova Scotia Pharmaceutical Society (Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists)

  • Code of Ethics 2002 .......................................SC
  • Code of Ethics 2003 .......................................SC
  • Code of Ethics 2007 .......................................SC

Manitoba

• Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association

  • Emergency Contraception "Controversy" ............SC
  • Emergency Contraception (EC) Care ..................SC
  • Standards of Practice: Community ....................SC

Ontario

• Ontario College of Pharmacists

  • Code of Ethics 1996 .......................................PA
  • Position Statement on
    "Refusal to Fill for Moral
    or Religious Reasons" .................................PA/SC
  • Code of Ethics, Draft 3 ..............................NA (?)
  • Code of Ethics ..............................................PA

New Brunswick

• New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society

  • Model Statement Regarding
    Pharmacists' Refusal to Provide
    Products or Services for
    Moral or Religious Reasons ....................PA/SC/EAS
  • Code of Ethics - Interpretation Document ..........SC

Prince Edward Island

• Prince Edward Island Pharmacy Board

  • Statement Regarding Pharmacists' Refusal
    to Provide Products or Services
    for Moral or Religious Reasons ...............PA/SC/EAS
  • Code of Ethics Guidelines
    for Interpretations .........................................SC

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................SC

---

IRELAND

Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland

• Code of Conduct for Pharmacists 2008 ......................NA

---

KENYA

Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya

• The Code of Ethics and Standards
  for Pharmacy Practice in Kenya (2nd Ed) ....................PA

---

NEW ZEALAND

Pharmacy Council of New Zealand

• Code of Ethics 2004 ...............................................SC

---

UNITED KINGDOM

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

• Code of Ethics for Pharmacists
  & Pharmacist Technicians ........................................PA

---

UNITED STATES

American Pharmacists Association

• Code of Ethics ......................................................NA
• Pharmacist Conscience Clause..................................SC
• FAQ About Plan B OTC SC
  Letter to the editor 2006-08-24 ...............................SC

Arkansas

• Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy

  • Conscience Clause .......................................ND*

California

• Business and Professions Code Sections .............................SC

• Board of Pharmacy Regulations ..........................................PA

Colorado

• Colorado Board of Pharmacy

  • Rules of Professional Conduct...........................NA
    

• Colorado Pharmacists Society

  • (APhA) ........................................................SC

Georgia

• Georgia State Board of Pharmacy

  • Rules .........................................................ND*

Iowa

• Iowa Pharmacy Association

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................NA

Kansas

• Kansas Pharmacists Association

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................NA

Michigan

• Michigan Pharmacists Association

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................NA

Nebraska

• Nebraska Pharmacy Association

  • Regulations ..................................................SC

New York

• Pharmacists Society of the State of New York

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................NA

North Carolina

• North Carolina Board of Pharmacy (APhA)

  • Frequently Asked Questions..............................SC

Oregon

• Oregon State Board of Pharmacy

  • Considering Moral and Ethical Objections ............SC
    

• Oregon State Pharmacy Association

  • Considering Moral and Ethical Objections ............SC

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy

  • Statement of policy .......................................SC

South Dakota

• South Dakota Pharmacists Association

  • Code of Ethics ..............................................NA