CODE OF ETHICS OF PHARMACEUTICAL PROFESSION

Article I. The duties of the pharmacist towards public.

Section 1. the pharmacist should maintain all standards established by the latest edition of Pharmacopeia of the Unites
states of America and the latest edition of the National Formulary and should encourage the use official drugs and their
preparations, as much as possible refraining from the use of substitutes or drugs of substandard strength. In case the
preparations and drugs required are not included in the Pharmacopeia of the Unites states of America and the latest
edition of the National Formulary, he should follow the standards of other pharmacopeia and formularies.
Section 2. Drugs of inferior quality should dispensed medical purposed and for filling of prescriptions when such drugs
are liable to be either injurious or to no effect to the patient.
Section 3. Active and poisonous drugs should not be sold or dispensed to persons not properly qualified to administer
the same, and all necessary precautions should be taken to protect the public from harm through the use of such potent
medicines.
Section 4. Having been entrusted by law with the dispensing and usage of narcotics and abortive, the pharmacist should
strictly comply with the laws and regulations governing the distribution of prohibited and restricted drugs.
Section 5. The pharmacist should endeavor to gain the confidence of costumers by attending promptly to their wants
and by neither over charging them nor using private formularies instead of those in current use, and having once gained
such confidence, he should zealously endeavor to keep and never violate the same. He should also consider that the
confidence of his customers based upon the knowledge acquired by him in the practice of his profession.
Section 6. The pharmacist is entitled to just and fair compensation for his knowledge, skill and efficiency in filling
prescriptions, and in the computation of such professional fee, he should consider the time consumed, his serious
responsibility, and the cost of the ingredients used.
Section 7. The pharmacist should be concerned about the health and safety of his customer; he should not give medical
advice or attempt to prescribe or treat disease or dispense drugs or remedies of any kind for the sole purpose of gain.
Section 8. He should keep his establishment clean, neat and sanity, and the drugs and medicines, arranged
systematically in their proper and suitable places in order to facilitate the filling of prescriptions, and he should exercise
strict supervision over them. He should have good scales and other appropriate equipment in order to avoid errors in
the quantities of the medicines dispensed and be able to perform the duties of the profession in a proper manner.
Section 9. The conduct of a pharmacist having a secret agreement with a physician to share with him his profits in
prescriptions received by said pharmacist from such physician or fill prescription written in either foreign or unusual
terms or otherwise not legible and undecipherable, should be considered criminal to public welfare and deserving of
censure and condemnation.
Section 10. The pharmacist should be a good citizen and should uphold and defend the laws of the land. He should
inform himself of the laws in force, specially those concerning adulteration and misbranding of drugs and foods. He
should know the laws related to public health and hygiene and should voluntarily cooperate with the authorities in the
strict enforcement of said laws.
Section 11. The pharmacist should be ready to join in any constructive movement, such as improvement of the
pharmaceutical preparations dispensed by him in order to attain the object pursued, i.e., the safeguarding of public
health. He should conduct himself with confidence of the community in which he practices his profession.
Article II. The Duties of the Pharmacist towards the Physician
Section 12. The pharmacist should not prescribe or diagnose disease even when urgently requested to do so, but
should, in such cases, refer the patient to reputable qualified physician. In extreme emergencies, as for instance in cases
where a person who had an accident or has suddenly become ill is taken to the pharmacy to await medical treatment,
the pharmacist may take such prompt action to prevent suffering as is indicated by humanitarian impulse and guided by
scientific knowledge and common sense.
Section 13. The pharmacist should, under no consideration, substitute one article for another, or replace one substance
with another in a prescription except with the consent of the prescriber. No change should be made in a prescription
unless properly guaranteed to be correct and not liable to alter or obstruct in any manner the therapeutic action the
prescriber desires to obtain.
Section 14. The dispensing pharmacist should follow strictly and thoroughly the instructions of the prescriber relative to
the filling of a prescription, copying the formula correctly on the label and giving a copy of the prescription to the patient
when so requested. He should not add or leave out anything in the directions, instructions or label on the medicines
even in the case of poisons, without the consent of the prescriber, provided such prescription will not endanger the life
of the patient if filled and used as prescribed.
Section 15. In case there is any doubt regarding the proper interpretation of a prescription, the pharmacist should
consult the prescriber in order to avoid an error. This must never be done with the knowledge of the patient. Neither
should he discuss the therapeutic effect of a prescription nor describe any detail of the compound that the prescriber
may have forgotten nor suggest to the patient that such details can be properly discussed with the prescriber.
Section 16. In case the pharmacist discovers any error or omission in a prescription, he must consult the physician
confidentially and secretly on this matter using the greatest precaution and tact in the interest of his customer as well as
of the reputation of the physician.
Article II. The Duties of the Pharmacist towards his Colleagues and the Profession in General
Section 17. The pharmacist should endeavor to improve and advance his professional knowledge. HE should contribute
to the progress of his profession and, whenever possible, participate on or support research wok and investigation
undertaken for the purpose of improving old or discover new remedies.
Section 18. He should join pharmaceutical organizations whose aims and purposes are incompatible with the Code of
Ethics for the pharmaceutical profession and to which he may be eligible. He should devote part f his time and effort and
even money to aid in carrying out the work of those organizations and to keep himself informed on professional matters
by reading journals and foreign pharmaceutical, medical, and allied literature.
Section 19. He should not perform any act or be a party to any transaction that may bring discredit to himself, nor
should he criticize any colleague for the same or do anything that will bring discredit to a colleague.
Section 20. The pharmacist should expose any corrupt or incorrect conduct on the part of the member of the profession
that may come to his certain knowledge, by the proper means provided by the civil laws and rules and regulations of the
pharmaceutical organization.
Section 21. He should not accept any commission for the distribution of secret remedies, nor allow his name to be used
in connection with advertisements or correspondence to promote their sale.
Section 22. He should cooperate courteously with any colleague asking for his advice, information or professional aid, or
in need of assistance or who, in emergency, needs supplies.
Section 23. He should not accept the managership of pharmacies in any locality such acceptance may detrimental to
other pharmacies owning establishments.
Section 24. He should not imitate labels, brands or factory marks of other manufacturers, or profit improperly by the
professional merit or the commercial success of others. Whenever a bottle or container comes to him for the
preparation of the same medicine, he should remove all labels thereon and replace them with his own although the
customer may ask him to do otherwise.
Section 25. He should endeavor to comply with all business regulations and to fulfill all his obligations and contracts.
Section 26. He should not resort to exaggerated advertisements in newspapers and other publications or in shingles and
sign boards. It would be unprofessional for a pharmacist if he promises or boasts of radical cares in use of his products.
Article IV. Duties of the Pharmacist towards his Assistants.
Section 27. Special attention must be given to the selection of assistants.
Section 28. Every pharmacist should take interest, instruct and train his apprentices in professional practice and should
keep a register for recording the time and kind of employment of such apprentices and the efficiency rating obtained by
each while connected with establishment.
PHARMACISTS OATH
I, _____________________________ of _____________________________________, hereby solemnly swear that I will
support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines; that I will bear through faith and allegiance to the same; that I
will obey the laws, legal orders, and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Republic of the
Philippines; and that I impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of invasion.
SO HELP ME GOD.
I further solemnly swear that all times and places, I will adhere closely to the ethical and professional rules generally
accepted by the Pharmaceutical Profession of the Philippines and that I will faithfully discharge to the best of the ability
the duties and obligations incumbent upon a legally authorized Pharmaceutical Practitioner.