Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997
R 385
Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974)Board NoticesRules Relating to Good Pharmacy Practice, 20081.1 Wellbeing of the Patient |
Principle: A pharmacist's prime concern in the performance of his/her professional duties must be for the wellbeing of both the patient and other members of the public.
In adhering to this principle the following should be taken into consideration:
| 1.1.1 | The pharmacist's goal in the provision of medicine therapy should be to achieve appropriate therapeutic outcomes that contribute towards patient health and quality of life. The attitudes, behaviours, commitments, concerns, ethics, functions, knowledge, responsibilities and skills of the pharmacist should therefore be focused on primarily benefiting the patient and the public as a whole. |
| 1.1.2 | To avoid confusion and in the interest of the patient, a pharmacist must ensure that when any medicinal product is sold or dispensed to the patient, all the information on the package or container, which is necessary for the safe and effective use of the medicine as stipulated in the Medicines Act, is written in at least one official language and that where available a patient information leaflet is provided at the point of dispensing. |
| 1.1.3 | When appropriate, a pharmacist should ensure that the proposed user or purchaser of a medicinal product receives advice on its safe use. Special needs may arise where the user requires additional counselling, or has difficulty in understanding the advice given. This may happen, inter alia, when the patient or caregiver is blind, disabled, geriatric, infirm or illiterate. This must be taken into account and reasonable efforts made to ensure that the person fully understands, e.g. pillboxes with Braille can be used for blind patients and labels with pictograms for illiterate patients. |
| 1.1.4 | A pharmacist must not give an impression to a potential purchaser that any product or food supplement associated with the maintenance of or enhancement of health is efficacious, when there is no evidence of efficacy, as confirmed by the registration with the Medicines Control Council. |
| 1.1.5 | A pharmacist must remain professionally competent and abreast of the latest developments in the health area in which he/she functions in accordance with his/her scope of practice. |
(Reference to the provisions of the following act, rule or regulation applying to pharmacists can be made, but it is not an exhaustive list with regard to the above:
• Regulations 8, 9 and 10 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965)
