An Ethical Audit of Pharmaceutical Laws and Regulations in Iran

Rasool  Esmalipour; Neda  Mehrdad; Pooneh  Salari

doi:10.18502/ijme.v18i2.18675

Rasool Esmalipour Assistant Professor, Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Neda Mehrdad Professor, Diabetes Research Center, Research Institute of Metabolism and Endocrine Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Pooneh Salari Professor, Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijme.v18i2.18675

Keywords: Ethical Challenges, Ethical Audit, Laws and Regulations, Pharmaceutics.

Abstract

Ethical challenges related to pharmaceutical laws and regulations are
among the most significant challenges for pharmacists in fulfilling their
professional duties. Therefore, identifying these challenges and conducting
an ethical audit is a novel and effective approach for amending related laws
and regulations. The ethical challenges faced by pharmacists in providing
pharmacy services were explored through conducting a qualitative content
analysis study entitled "Exploring the Ethical Challenges in Providing
Pharmacy Services". The identified challenges were classified into various
categories, one of which was challenges related to pharmaceutical laws and
regulations. The challenges were extracted from a book entitled "Laws and
Regulations of Iran’s Pharmaceutical Affairs", analyzed, and divided into
three categories, including outdated laws and regulations, lack of proper
implementation, and insufficient control and supervision over
implementation. These rules and regulations were reviewed and analyzed
in comparison with the Code of Ethics for the National Pharmaceutical
System and an ethical audit was conducted. Raising awareness among
officials and policymakers in the health sector, especially regarding
pharmaceutical affairs, and taking necessary measures to improve laws and
regulations can ultimately enhance the quality of medical and
pharmaceutical services, ensuring that patients receive high-quality
pharmaceutical and medical care.