CIRCULAR

ISSUANCE OF CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL ETHICS

Pursuant to Law on Pharmacy No. 105/2016/QH13 dated April 6, 2016;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2017/ND-CP dated June 20, 2017 of Government on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of Ministry of Health;

At request of Director of the Medicine Administration of Vietnam, Ministry of Health,

Minister of Health promulgates Circular on Code of Pharmaceutical Ethics.

Article 1. Code of Pharmaceutical Ethics

The “Code of Pharmaceutical Ethics” is attached hereto.

Article 2. Entry into force

1. This Circular comes into force from August 13, 2021.

2. Decision No. 2397/QD-BYT dated August 10, 1999 of Minister of Health on issuance of “Code of Pharmaceutical Ethics” expires from the effective date hereof.

Article 3. Responsibilities for implementation

Chief of the Ministry Office; Chief of Ministry Inspectorate; Directors, Directors General, General Directors of Departments, Agencies, General Departments affiliated to Ministry of Health; heads of entities affiliated to Ministry of Health; Directors of Departments of Health of provinces and central-affiliated cities; heads of pharmaceutical facilities, and relevant organizations, individuals are responsible for implementation of this Circular./.

CODE OF PHARMACEUTICAL ETHICS

(Attached to Circular No. 08/2021/TT-BYT dated June 25, 2021 of Minister of Health)

Pharmaceutical practitioners must stringently comply with following principles:

Article 1. Comply with regulations and law relating to practicing pharmacy

1. In addition to complying with the Constitution, regulations and law, comply with Law on Pharmacy, documents elaborating to Law on Pharmacy, and relevant law provisions.

2. Comply with code of pharmaceutical ethics, and regulations of socio-professional organizations to which pharmacy practitioners are members.

Article 2. Train and improve one’s self

1. Train communication and behavioral skills, improve ethics of pharmacists, professional morality, and responsibilities to the professions and to persons taking drugs.

2. Keep learning to improve specialty and professional capacity; actively participate in training and improvement classes; actively conduct research and apply science-technology advances; utilize renovations and improvement, and fulfill requirements in providing healthcare for the general public in all situations.

3. Stay ready to overcome all difficulties in order to provide healthcare for the general public.

4. Actively fight against corruption, waste and social vices.

Article 3. Professional responsibilities

1. Assume responsibilities for respecting, maintaining professional credibility; do not harm credibility or honor of pharmacy practitioners and images of medical officials and employees.  

2. Stringently comply with regulations on pharmacy. Do not exploit or allow other people to exploit the profession for personal gain or violate regulations and law.

3. Assume responsibilities to provide instructions on using medicine appropriately, safely, effectively, and efficiently for patients and the general public; promote clinical pharmacology and pharmacovigilance; publicize healthcare and protection for the general public, and disease prevention.

4. Respect and protect legal rights and benefits of patients, persons taking medicines, and provide care for patients receiving social policies. Ensure equality, do not discriminate patients, do not pity, do not exploit professions or bother patients. Stay truthful when settling payments for patients. Do not assign poor quality medicine or medicine inappropriate for requirements or severity of illnesses.

5. Upon making mistakes while practicing pharmacy, assume responsibilities and pay damages as per the law.

6. Be civilized, always maintain positive and welcoming attitude, stay in formal clothes while practicing pharmacy.

Article 4. Secure patient information

1. Respect secrets of patients and secrets relating to patients’ illnesses.

2. Information on health and privacy of patients shall only be publicized if permitted by patients or otherwise permitted by the law.

Article 5. Relationship of pharmacy practitioners with colleagues, socio-professional organizations

1. Stay truthful, united, respect masters, cooperate and respect colleagues, and listen to colleagues; protect honor and credibility of colleagues.

2. Do not act against morality, do not pressure, threaten or violate regulations and law in order to gain an advantage in the profession, do not conduct other forms of healthy competition.

3. Assume responsibilities for supervising and assisting colleagues in practicing, stringently eliminate all wrongdoings in pharmacy business on the basis of maintaining respect to colleagues.

4. Assume responsibilities for guiding, and providing assistance for new colleagues.

5. Voluntarily participate in professional activities and other social activities organized or mobilized by the Government, socio-professional organizations of the practitioners to contribute to general development of pharmacy.

Article 6. Relationship with pharmacy practitioners

1. Assume responsibilities in guiding pharmacy practitioners, highlight responsibilities, deliver professional knowledge and experience with pharmacy practitioners.

2. Do not:

a) Discriminate or treat pharmacy practitioners personally;

b) Demand physical or mental benefit from pharmacy practitioners;

c) Exploit instructor status to compel pharmacy practitioners to perform tasks beyond scope of internship, violate regulations and law, or contradict social morality for personal gain.

Article 7. Relationship with other relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals

1. Comply with decisions of competent authorities and closely cooperate with medical officials, medical employees and officials, employees of other agencies to guarantee supply and instructions on safe and effective use of medicine in case of dangerous epidemic, natural disasters

2. Respect and cooperate with regulatory agencies, strictly fight against negativities in professional activities./.

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