EXPLORING THE CONSCIENCE CLAUSE FOR PHARMACISTS IN THE EU COUNTRIES

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a universal fundamental right. The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) supports the ethical obligation of pharmacists to ensure the continuity of services needed by patients, in case of conflict with their own moral or religious beliefs. The objective of the paper was to explore the codes of ethics for pharmacists in the European Union (EU) countries, in order to have an overview of the position of pharmacists' professional associations regarding the conscience clause. As materials we used the texts of the codes of ethics for pharmacists, and as methods we used documentary research and comparative thematic analysis. The codes of ethics for pharmacists in the EU countries express their various positions, from the absence of the conscience clause to the explicit, detailed regulation of the possibility of invoking the conscientious objection, at the same time ensuring the respect of the patients' rights to the products and services they need in such cases. National authorities and pharmacists' professional associations should collaborate to ensure a balanced regulation of the conscientious objection, to guide patients and pharmacists through appropriate documents regarding professional conduct in such situations.