Code
of Ethics of the American Pharmaceutical Association
Adopted in 1852
The American Pharmaceutical Association, composed of Pharmaceutics, and Druggists throughout the United States, feeling a strong interest in the success and advancement of their profession in its practical and scientific relations, and also impressed with the belief that no amount of knowledge and skill will protect themselves and the public from the ill effects of an undue competition, and the temptations to gain at the expense of quality, unless they are upheld by high moral obligations in the path of duty, have subscribed to the following Code of Ethics for the government of their professional conduct.
ARTICLE 1.-As the practice of pharmacy can only become uniform by an open and candid intercourse being kept up between apothecaries and druggists among themselves and each other, by the adoption of the National Pharmacopoeia as a guide in the preparation of official medicines, and by the discontinuance of secret formulae and the practices arising from a quackish spirit, and by an encouragement of that esprit de corps which will prevent a resort to those disreputable practices arising out of an injurious and wicked competition; Therefore, the members of this Association agree to uphold the use of the Pharmacopoeia in their practice; to cultivate brotherly feeling among the members, and to discountenance quackery and dishonorable competition in their business.
ART. 2.--As labor should have its just reward, and as skill, knowledge and responsibility required in the practice of pharmacy are great, the remuneration of the pharmaceutics' services should be proportioned to these, rather than to the market value of the preparations vended. The rate of charges will necessarily vary with geographical position, municipal location, and other circumstances of a permanent character, but a resort to intentional and unnecessary reduction in the rate of charges among apothecaries, with a view to gaining at the expense of their brethren, is strongly discountenanced by this Association as productive of evil results.
ART. 3.--The first duty of the apothecary, after duly preparing himself for his profession, being to procure good drugs and preparations (for without these his skill and knowledge are of small avail), he frequently has to rely on the good faith of the druggist for their selection. Those druggists whose knowledge, skill and integrity enable them to conduct their business faithfully, should be encouraged, rather than those who base their claims of patronage on the cheapness of their articles solely. When accidentally or otherwise, a deteriorated, or adulterated drug or medicine is sent to the apothecary he should invariably return it to the druggist, with a statement of its defects. What is too frequently considered a mere error of trade on the part of the druggist, becomes a highly culpable act when countenanced by the apothecary; hence, when repetitions of such frauds occur, they should be exposed for the benefit of the profession. A careful but firm pursuit of this course would render well-disposed druggists more careful and deter the fraudulently inclined from a resort to their disreputable practices.
ART. 4.-As the practice of pharmacy is quite distinct from the practice of medicine, and has been found to flourish in proportion as its practitioners have confined their attention to its requirements; and as the conduction of the business of both professions by the same individual involves pecuniary temptations which are often not compatible with a conscientious discharge of duty; we consider that the members of this Association should discountenance all such professional amalgamation; and in conducting business at the counter, should avoid prescribing for diseases when practicable, referring applicants for medical advice to the physician. We hold it as unprofessional and highly reprehensible for apothecaries to allow any percentage or commission to physicians on their prescriptions, as unjust to the public, and hurtful to the independence and self-respect of both parties concerned. We also consider that the practice of some physicians (in places where good apothecaries are numerous), of obtaining medicines at low prices from the latter, and selling them to their patients, is not only unjust and unprofessional, but deserving the censure of all high-minded medical men.
ART. 5.-The important influence exerted on the practice of p y by the large proportion of physicians who have resigned its duties and emoluments to the apothecary, are reasons why he should seek their favorable opinion and cultivate their friendship. by earnest endeavors to furnish their patients with pure and well-prepared medicines. As physicians are liable to commit errors in writing their prescriptions, involving serious consequences to health and reputation if permitted to leave the shop, the apothecary should always, when he deems an error has been made, consent the physician before proceeding; yet in the delay which must necessarily occur, it is his duty, when possible, to accomplish the interview without compromising the reputation of the physician. On the other hand, when apothecaries commit errors involving ill consequences, the physician, knowing the constant liability to error, should feel bound to screen them from undue censure, unless the result of a culpable negligence.
ART. 6.--As we owe a debt of gratitude to our predecessors for the researches and observations which have so far advanced our scientific art, we hold that every apothecary and druggist is bound to contribute his mite toward the same fund, by noting the new ideas and phenomena which may occur in the course of his business, and publishing them, when of sufficient consequence, for the benefit of the profession.
This code of ethics is evidently in need of revision. The following code is proposed for adoption at the annual meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association in the autumn of 1922.
