Explain the impact of professional, sociocultural and politico-legal considerations on health professional practice in relation to medicines therapy.
( Academic English 300 words)
Q: Obligations regarding use of unregistered medicines
A study 2011 found that certain medicines common to Australia and NZ, were registered for use in Australia before being available in NZ. For example, aripiprazole (used in the management of schizophrenia) was registered in Australia in May 2003 and in NZ only in February 2007.
If a clinician wanted to prescribe aripiprazole for an NZ patient before Feb 2007, they would still have been able to do so (this is provided for in Section 25 of the Medicines Act), but would have had to provide care of an adequate professional and ethical standard under the Code of Health and Disability Consumers’ Rights.
With reference to the Code, describe the patients’ rights and obligation of the clinician when an unregistered medicine is used.