MCQ on Ethics in Pharmacy Practice

🟢 Easy Level (1–20)

1. Which principle emphasizes doing good in pharmacy practice?
   A. Autonomy
   B. Beneficence ✅
   C. Non-maleficence
   D. Fidelity
   Explanation: Beneficence promotes actions that benefit patients.
2. Which principle means “do no harm”?
   A. Justice
   B. Non-maleficence ✅
   C. Veracity
   D. Confidentiality
   Explanation: Non-maleficence ensures no intentional harm is caused.
3. The principle of autonomy allows patients to:
   A. Demand free medication
   B. Refuse treatment ✅
   C. Prescribe drugs
   D. Change laws
   Explanation: Autonomy supports informed decisions by patients.
4. Confidentiality in pharmacy involves:
   A. Sharing patient info with friends
   B. Keeping patient information private ✅
   C. Selling data
   D. Giving drug samples
   Explanation: Patient privacy is a key ethical obligation.
5. The Code of Ethics for pharmacists is established by:
   A. MCI
   B. FSSAI
   C. PCI ✅
   D. ICMR
   Explanation: Pharmacy Council of India develops ethical codes.
6. A pharmacist should always:
   A. Sell costly drugs
   B. Act in the patient’s best interest ✅
   C. Follow patient orders
   D. Promote brand drugs only
   Explanation: Patient welfare is the central ethical concern.
7. Which of the following is an unethical practice?
   A. Patient counseling
   B. Maintaining records
   C. Misbranding drugs ✅
   D. Drug inventory
   Explanation: Misbranding is legally and ethically wrong.
8. Fidelity in ethics means:
   A. Lying to protect a patient
   B. Being loyal and keeping promises ✅
   C. Making profits
   D. Withholding prescriptions
   Explanation: Fidelity is about trustworthiness and duty.
9. Which principle ensures fairness in healthcare delivery?
   A. Justice ✅
   B. Autonomy
   C. Beneficence
   D. Fidelity
   Explanation: Justice demands equitable treatment.
10. Unethical drug promotion includes:
    A. Providing leaflets
    B. Offering gifts to doctors ✅
    C. Drug sampling
    D. Training pharmacists
    Explanation: Offering gifts compromises impartiality.
11. Patient counseling by pharmacists is an example of:
    A. Law enforcement
    B. Ethical and legal duty ✅
    C. Social media marketing
    D. Price control
    Explanation: It’s an ethical and professional responsibility.
12. Whistleblowing involves:
    A. Hiding medication errors
    B. Reporting unethical practices ✅
    C. Selling banned drugs
    D. Breaking confidentiality
    Explanation: Whistleblowing reports wrongdoing in healthcare.
13. Veracity in ethics means:
    A. Lying to patients
    B. Telling the truth ✅
    C. Manipulating results
    D. Ignoring complaints
    Explanation: Veracity emphasizes honesty.
14. The ethical duty of a pharmacist includes:
    A. Inflating drug prices
    B. Misleading patients
    C. Preventing medication errors ✅
    D. Promoting personal beliefs
    Explanation: Reducing errors is crucial to ethics and safety.
15. Ethical issues in pharmacy often arise due to:
    A. Product expiry
    B. Drug stability
    C. Conflict of interest ✅
    D. Equipment failure
    Explanation: Personal gain can conflict with patient care.
16. Unethical dispensing includes:
    A. Providing OTC meds
    B. Issuing drugs without prescription ✅
    C. Guiding on drug use
    D. Explaining side effects
    Explanation: Prescription drugs must not be given without authorization.
17. Which of these is an ethical responsibility of pharmacists?
    A. Ignoring ADRs
    B. Reporting adverse effects ✅
    C. Overpricing drugs
    D. Refusing poor patients
    Explanation: Pharmacists must monitor and report drug safety.
18. Ethical principles guide:
    A. Profit margins
    B. Patient interactions ✅
    C. Manufacturer incentives
    D. Pharma marketing
    Explanation: Ethics governs professional behavior with patients.
19. Which document outlines a pharmacist’s ethical duties?
    A. Patient Charter
    B. Pharmacist Code of Ethics ✅
    C. Drug Manual
    D. Narcotic Control Guidelines
    Explanation: The Code provides ethical practice guidelines.
20. Deception in pharmacy is a violation of:
    A. Veracity ✅
    B. Justice
    C. Fidelity
    D. Beneficence
    Explanation: Deception contradicts the principle of honesty.

🟡 Moderate Level (21–40)

21. Ethical dilemmas in pharmacy often involve:
    A. Packaging issues
    B. Profit vs patient welfare ✅
    C. Branding
    D. Storage
    Explanation: Conflicts arise between financial and ethical priorities.
22. Pharmacists should report unethical behavior to:
    A. The media
    B. Regulatory authority ✅
    C. Competitors
    D. Patients
    Explanation: Responsible reporting is essential for accountability.
23. Marketing unapproved drugs is considered:
    A. Legal
    B. Ethical
    C. Unethical and illegal ✅
    D. A common practice
    Explanation: Promoting unapproved drugs is a violation.
24. Refusing service based on race or gender violates:
    A. Autonomy
    B. Veracity
    C. Justice ✅
    D. Non-maleficence
    Explanation: It denies fair treatment.
25. If a pharmacist dispenses expired drugs, it breaches:
    A. Safety standards
    B. Ethical conduct ✅
    C. Inventory control
    D. Cost-saving measures
    Explanation: It’s harmful and unethical.
26. Informed consent is primarily associated with:
    A. Confidentiality
    B. Autonomy ✅
    C. Justice
    D. Non-maleficence
    Explanation: It respects the patient’s decision-making rights.
27. Ethical decision-making in pharmacy includes:
    A. Selling more units
    B. Evaluating patient outcomes ✅
    C. Avoiding communication
    D. Withholding information
    Explanation: Ethical choices improve patient care.
28. Accepting bribes for product endorsement is a breach of:
    A. Justice
    B. Fidelity
    C. Professional ethics ✅
    D. Legal codes only
    Explanation: Bribery compromises impartial care.
29. A pharmacist notices a prescribing error. They should:
    A. Ignore it
    B. Inform the prescriber ✅
    C. Dispense it anyway
    D. Change the drug
    Explanation: Ethical duty is to prevent harm.
30. Corporate pressure to meet sales targets may lead to:
    A. Ethical growth
    B. Rational use
    C. Ethical compromise ✅
    D. Better counseling
    Explanation: Sales pressure may influence unethical behavior.
31. Ethical pharmacy practice includes:
    A. Delayed service
    B. Patient-centered care ✅
    C. Prioritizing profit
    D. Discouraging generics
    Explanation: The patient’s needs come first.
32. Code of ethics promotes:
    A. Sales
    B. Ethical awareness ✅
    C. Market analysis
    D. Pharmacovigilance
    Explanation: It guides moral behavior in practice.
33. Recommending unnecessary medication violates:
    A. Autonomy
    B. Justice
    C. Beneficence ✅
    D. Confidentiality
    Explanation: It is not in the patient’s best interest.
34. Ignoring patient complaints breaches:
    A. Veracity
    B. Autonomy
    C. Fidelity ✅
    D. Confidentiality
    Explanation: Loyalty includes listening and acting on concerns.
35. Selling medication with manipulated expiry dates is:
    A. Quality control
    B. Fraud and unethical ✅
    C. Inventory management
    D. Data error
    Explanation: It’s a serious breach of ethics and law.
36. Ethics in pharmacy are essential for:
    A. Inventory
    B. Cost control
    C. Professional integrity ✅
    D. Product branding
    Explanation: Ethical practice builds trust and reputation.
37. Inappropriate advertisement of drugs can lead to:
    A. More patients
    B. Legal and ethical violations ✅
    C. Free promotions
    D. Safety improvement
    Explanation: Misleading ads are unethical.
38. A conflict of interest arises when:
    A. Patient care is unbiased
    B. Decisions are influenced by personal gain ✅
    C. Ethical guidelines are followed
    D. Counseling is performed
    Explanation: Ethics requires impartiality.
39. Ethical pharmacy practice requires commitment to:
    A. Sales targets
    B. Patient advocacy ✅
    C. Inventory audits
    D. Manufacturer demands
    Explanation: Pharmacists must act in the patient’s best interest.
40. Manipulating clinical data for drug approval is:
    A. Innovation
    B. Professionalism
    C. Unethical and fraudulent ✅
    D. Regulatory requirement
    Explanation: Data manipulation undermines safety and trust.

🔴 Hard Level (41–50)

41. A pharmacist discloses a patient’s condition to an unauthorized person. This violates:
    A. Autonomy
    B. Confidentiality ✅
    C. Justice
    D. Fidelity
    Explanation: Patient data must remain private.
42. Pharmacists refusing emergency contraception due to personal beliefs raises:
    A. Legal concerns
    B. Ethical debate on autonomy ✅
    C. Compliance issues
    D. Economic disparity
    Explanation: It may conflict with patient autonomy.
43. Using patient data for marketing is a breach of:
    A. Professional etiquette
    B. Confidentiality ✅
    C. Product license
    D. Justice
    Explanation: Consent is needed for data usage.
44. Ethical dilemma in pharmacy arises when:
    A. A rule is broken
    B. Two ethical principles conflict ✅
    C. Inventory is full
    D. Law changes
    Explanation: Ethical dilemmas involve competing values.
45. Prescribing by pharmacists without authority is:
    A. Ethical
    B. Common
    C. Illegal and unethical ✅
    D. Promoted
    Explanation: Only licensed prescribers may prescribe.
46. Ethical drug promotion must avoid:
    A. Educational materials
    B. Deceptive claims ✅
    C. Patient leaflets
    D. Package inserts
    Explanation: Misleading claims are unethical.
47. Pharmacists’ responsibility in clinical trials includes:
    A. Selling drugs
    B. Managing subjects
    C. Ensuring ethical drug dispensing ✅
    D. Pricing
    Explanation: They ensure proper storage, dispensing, and records.
48. Withholding cheaper alternatives violates:
    A. Justice and beneficence ✅
    B. Confidentiality
    C. Non-maleficence
    D. Fidelity
    Explanation: Patients deserve access to affordable options.
49. Ethics requires pharmacists to:
    A. Promote sponsor products
    B. Act in favor of pharma companies
    C. Avoid bias and serve patients ✅
    D. Focus on business
    Explanation: Ethical practice centers on unbiased care.
50. Which principle is most challenged by marketing incentives?
    A. Autonomy
    B. Beneficence
    C. Non-maleficence
    D. Fidelity ✅
    Explanation: Incentives can compromise loyalty to patients.