Ethics of Pirated Drug Use and How do You Deal with it in Your Practice

Abstract

Over the past 13 years, I have examined some 150 ethical issues that arise in veterinary medicine, either directly in my Canadian Veterinary Journal column or in the ethics column I edit for the Veterinary Forum. While some of these issues represent true dilemmas, with strong arguments that can be marshalled on each side, many others are quite straightforward and their ethical resolution is unambiguous.

I cannot think of a better example of an issue with clear ethical resolution than the one facing us in this discussion-the use of counterfeit (pirated) drugs where veterinarians dispense copies of established veterinary drugs. The basic reason this is a problem is that drugs compounded from bulk ingredients-unlike the branded (FDA approved) products or approved US generic equivalents-do not undergo FDA approved testing for safety and efficacy, and are not produced under conditions that conform to FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices. In my view, dispensing such drugs, as done by many veterinarians to increase profit well above what they can make with approved drugs, violates every sort of moral obligation inherent in veterinary medical ethics.