PEBC Medical Ethics and Law 2

Question 1

A patient refuses a life-saving blood transfusion on religious grounds. The pharmacist's primary ethical obligation is to:

Accepted Answer

Respect the patient's autonomous decision

Answer

Respect for patient autonomy means honouring a competent adult's informed refusal of treatment, even life-saving treatment.

Question 2

Under Canadian pharmacy law, which document authorizes a pharmacist to adapt a prescription by changing the dose?

Accepted Answer

Provincial pharmacy regulations permitting adaptation

Answer

Each province's pharmacy regulations define the scope of pharmacist adaptation authority, including dose changes.

Question 3

The ethical principle of justice in pharmacy practice primarily concerns:

Accepted Answer

Distributing healthcare resources fairly and equitably

Answer

Justice refers to fair distribution of benefits and burdens across patients and society, including equitable access to medications.

Question 4

A pharmacist discovers a dispensing error made by a colleague that did not harm the patient. What is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Report it to the pharmacy manager and document it per incident reporting policy

Answer

Near-miss errors must be reported internally and documented to improve systems and prevent future harm.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes 'therapeutic privilege' in the context of informed consent?

Accepted Answer

Withholding information from a patient believing disclosure would cause harm

Answer

Therapeutic privilege is a controversial doctrine where a clinician withholds information to prevent psychological harm, but it is rarely ethically justified.

PEBC - Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada Practice Test

PEBC - Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada Practice Test

PEBC Medical Ethics and Law 2