The Conscience of a Pharmacist

The purpose of this commentary is to attempt to provide some insight into conscience-clause cases from the perspective of a pharmacist and an academician. Health professionals, including pharmacists, have a social contract with the patients we serve in which the patients give us a level of status not given to non-professionals, and, in return, we agree to put the interests of our patients above our own. Therefore, any discussion of a right-to-refuse service needs to begin with a discussion of the duties and responsibilities of the health professional to the patient.