ETHICS FOR CHEMISTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 191, 8 May 1919, Page 8

ETHICS FOR CHEMISTS

• A SUGGESTED CODE STATUS OF THE PROFESSION Last night's deliberations of the conference of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical. Society was devoted principally to consideration of the subject of a code of ethics for tho guidance of chemists. Mr. H. S. Ba'gley (Featherstpn) rein! a paper boaring the title: "It is Timo to Change," in the course of which he criticised certain aspects of pharmaceutical activity, and urged the adoption of a code of ethics with a view to iniprov-' ing the status of tho profession. . Pharmacy, he said, was not advancing, and pharmaceutical chemists wero too generally regarded as "superior druggrocers," if indeed even the "superiority" were granted. "Wo find that so-called high-class pharmacists fill their windows with soaps, feeding-bottles, gramophones, photographic goods, shaving gear, vacuum flasks, patent medicines, cow drenches, etc.," remarked Mr. 'Bagley. "In other words, they do everything they possibly can by this- means to convince the public that they are essentially commercial and not professional. „ When you go into their pharmacies you find all, kinds of merchandise, on counters,'in show-cases, and on the . walls. By means of cards they-call attention' all over the place to special lands of nostrums and patent mediein.es. which they sell. Everything is commercial. Then in a little space, much less 'iTI area than the rest" of the store, they have a dispensary, and here they do their pharmaceutical work. How on earth can they expect the public to regard tHem as professional men wh'en their advertisements in the newspapers and ! elsewhere, their location, their displays, and their personal attitudes are indicative of commercialised brains?'' That was no way to build a profession and was ruinous. Every window display of photographic goods, patent medicines, and toilet articles, etc., which was associated with the word "pharmacist" was indirectly inimical to tho profession of pharmacy. Tho Pharmaceutical Society should embrace and take under its control all the various pharmaceutical associations now existent in the Dominion,A code of ethics should include a code of honour which would morally bind them:—(l) Towards their society; (2) to one another; (3) .to their clients; (<9 to the Medical Association and tho GbverrP ment; (5) outline their general conduct. In the code of ethics which he proposed, Mr. Bagley pointed-out that with regard to clients the we~are of a patient's health should receive first consideration. No exaggeration of any kind whatsoever should be "made to influence a sale. Clients who 'in any way indicated the need of medical treatment should be referred to their medical adviser. It was not desirable that a client should be recommended directly or indirectly to any particular medical practitioner.' A pharmacist's methods ot publicity should rigidly adhere to.:.h dignified and modest statement of' fact. All sensational features in advertising should be eliminated. Every pharmacist should condemn the use of titles which would creuto tho impression that he was a medical'practitioner. He should discourage'the use of such titles and char, latanism calculated to mislead or causo confusion in the. public mind. Pharnia. cists should endeavour to maintain a friendly, professional, and dignified relationship with all members ot" the British Medical Association, and should at all times emphasise the fact that pharmacy was a, purely technical profession based upon a comprehensive • knowledge of materia, medica, chemistry, and kindred subjects, the operation of skilfully compounding physicians' prescriptions, and preparing the 'numerous drugs ;nd formulae of the-British Pharmacopoeia. Iu conclusion he suggested that the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand should form an ethical, coinmitteo to consider all questions upon ethics and to confer with a similar committee of the B.M.A. when occasion arose. - •

Mr.' Bagley was accorded a vote .of thanks for his paper, and the conference then proceeded to the consideration of a suggested code of ethics drawn up by the Canterbury division. The president, Mr; F. Castle, said tlie suggested code appeared to meet with the approval of chemists, and would no doubt form; a basis upon which the Pharmaceutical Society could 'lay down' rules for the guidance of practising chemists. Dr. Line, who attended the conference to hear the discussion on the code, suggested that the proposals should le brought under, the notice o£ the B.M.A. for its consideration.

The conference decided to adopt this suggestion. :

Mr. J. S. Tingey (Feilding)' read a paper on the poison law, and at 11.40 p.m. the conference adjourned until this morning. /