Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6/genetics , DNA Methylation , Diabetes Mellitus/congenital , Hypoglycemia/etiology , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/genetics , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/physiopathology , Uniparental Disomy , Chromosome Deletion , Chromosome Duplication , Diabetes Mellitus/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology , Fathers , Female , Humans , Hypoglycemia/therapy , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/metabolism , Male , Remission, SpontaneousABSTRACT
The introduction of conscience clauses after the 1973 US Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade allowed physicians and nurses to opt out of medical procedures, particularly abortions, to which they were morally opposed. In recent years pharmacists have requested the same consideration with regard to dispensing some medicines. This paper examines the pharmacists' role and their professional and moral obligations to patients in the light of recent refusals by pharmacists to dispense oral contraceptives. A review of John Rawls's concepts of the "original position" and the "veil of ignorance", along with consideration of the concept of compartmentalisation, are used to assess pharmacists' requests and the moral and legal rights of patients to have their prescriptive needs met.
Subject(s)
Continuity of Patient Care/standards , Contraceptives, Oral/supply & distribution , Moral Obligations , Pharmaceutical Services/ethics , Pharmacists/ethics , Refusal to Treat/ethics , Continuity of Patient Care/ethics , Female , Humans , Pharmaceutical Services/legislation & jurisprudence , Refusal to Treat/legislation & jurisprudence , ReligionABSTRACT
All permanent pacemakers and implantable defibrillators (PPM/ICDs) will continue to function as programmed without regard to the date in the year 2000 (Y2K). All manufacturers contacted reassured us that some of these devices incorporate a day/year clock in the circuitry; however, these are not involved in sensing or delivering programmed therapy. Some manufacturers' device programmers will roll over to the year 2000 without any problems at all, whereas others may have difficulty with date and time stamping on printed reports. We tested 14 different types of PPM/ICD programmers for Y2K compliance using 8 tests. Five of the 14 models passed each test and were labeled at our institution with a green "Y2K" sticker to identify them as Y2K compatible and needing no special attention after December 31, 1999. The most common test failed was the ability to roll the date forward from December 31, 1999, with the programmer power off. Organizations should consider testing and replacing noncompliant device programmers or placing a red sticker with "Y2K" crossed out on noncompliant pieces. The red sticker alerts the advanced practice nurse or physician to the need to confirm the appropriate date and time in the programmer after startup in the year 2000 and before interrogating or programming any PPM/ICD, to avoid inappropriate date and time stamping on printed reports from that programmer.