Benefiting the Patient and Others: A Philosophical Discourse

Name of the author

[Institutional Affiliation(s)]
 Philosophical Discourse 1

Case Study 4-1.

Pharmacy ethics require a comprehensive understanding of morally right principles

and actions about maximum wellbeing of patients not only in areas of health but also in the

preservation of life and mental wellbeing. Case 4-1 identifies that it is much complicated for

the pharmacists to deal with patients' collective wellbeing when there are more crucial

concerns to be dealt with, such as helping people with their finances, social wellbeing, and

aesthetic appreciations, apart from health and safety. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have justified

their concerns in a right manner as they did not have enough financial resources to afford the

medicines separately, therefore, they decided to share and refill only Mr. Jackson’s

antihypertensives.However, the primary attention should be attributed to healthcare as it is

the foremost necessity of life.

Case Study 4-7

Dr. Waltonshould pursue a balancing approach to address the safety and security of

her family on a priority basis, and then, she should also provide effective service delivery to

her patients encompassing the moral principles of pharmacy ethics as she is a highly ethical

and scrupulous pharmacist. Health professionals always maintained some restraining

measures, as contingencies, and devised effective strategies to cope with the treatment of

patients in times of pandemics. However, in the times of global pandemics, it is thoroughly

stressed to minimize physical contact among people to curtail the widespread of infectious

germs so that other people stay safe and secure. According to the Utilitarian paradigm, it is

strongly endorsed that she be more obliged and fervently responsible to take care of her

family first as the health of her 2-year-old son is at stake who is immunosuppressed and being

treated for leukemia. Furthermore, if she continues to attend to the patients during the high-

risk time of measles outbreak, her exposure to measles could be potentially harmful

implicating negative consequences not only for her family but also for her patients.
 Philosophical Discourse 2

Generally, no pharmacist can ignore the welfare and interests of the family. However, such

conflicts of interest between patients and the pharmacist's family can be resolved solely by a

moral and ethical analysis of the situation which should be aimed at achieving maximum

inclusive benefit for all. In this way, she could stay away from directly attending to her

patients in vulnerable times and can provide her services virtually to her patients so that her

exposure to measles stays at a minimum. Idealistically, this balancing approach would prove

to be beneficial for all the stakeholders involved in the situation described in Case 4-7. Being

a pharmacist entails not only professional obligations to address the medical issues and

discrepancies for the betterment of people but also takes into account the other moral

obligations enshrined in the principles of pharmacy ethics which include beneficence and

nonmaleficence, respecting autonomy, telling the truth, keeping commitments, saving a

human life, and calling for distributing goods justly and fairly. Therefore, Dr. Walton should

direct her foremost attention towards the safety and security of her family as it is significantly

associated with her optimal performance towards the further treatment of her patients. Taking

such a course would enable her to maintain precautionary measures for the safety of her son

from measles, and likewise, her patients too would avail the opportunity to redress their

grievances.

Value of Philosophy

Philosophy enlightens us and makes our intellect free from the restrained prejudices

which are mainly derived from orthodox habitual beliefs, common sense, and illogical

deliberated convictions of the past that tend to behold a person’s world finite, unchanging and

definite in its dynamics.1 Moreover, the articles summarize that it is moral responsibility of

the healthcare professionals to be faithful, truthful and honest custodians of their patients

trust. The principle of veracity requires medical practitioners to be honest to their patients

even when lying holds the probability of providing greater good whereas the principle of
 Philosophical Discourse 3

fidelity reiterates that health professionals hold their commitments and promises to the

patients, and maintain loyalty and confidentiality of mutual trust in their treatment.

Philosophy has actualized my intellectual horizons and instigated into me, the ascertainable

knowledge of spiritual life, consciousness, wisdom, and enabled me to contemplate the

glorious universe in which we are inhabited.

 Philosophical Discourse 4

Reference List

1. Russell B. The value of philosophy. The problems of philosophy. Published online

1912:237-250.