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Ethical pharmacists should not sell quackery

Posted 09 May 2018

Last week, Ivo Vegter, the editor of Daily Maverick, posted an article arguing that ethical pharmacists should not sell quackery. 

This week, in response he writes: “Last week, I argued for an “ethical pharmacist” certification for pharmacists who do not sell quack remedies, miracle diets and detox cures. This week, let me consider two of the responses I’ve had; one from a pharmacist, and one from a homeopath. One makes a good point, the other does not”.

This article is a worth-while read for a variety of reasons, and in particular for all those arguing that CAMs should have a ‘place in the sun’.

[quote]My first reaction was that there is no need to seek a balance between fact and fiction, science and magic, medicine and quackery.[/quote]

Although a great part of the article addresses homeopathy, much of his argument can be applied Read the rest

Why pharmacists should not sell homeopathic medicines

Posted 27 July 2015

Mr Scott Gavura, a Canadian pharmacist, has written an article criticising Canadian pharmacists for stocking homeopathic medicines alongside conventional medicines.

We have a similar situation here in South Africa.

Mr Gavura ends his article with this powerful admonition: “Pharmacists ought to know better, and they ought to do better. It’s time for the profession to act in the interests of patients. Homeopathy has no place in today’s pharmacy practice.”

The same applies to South African pharmacists.

You can read the full article at: https://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/pharmacies-professionalism-and-homeopathy/

Mr Gavura also has a facebook page worth looking at: https://www.facebook.com/ScienceBasedPharmacy

It should be noted that in South Africa, according to the standards of “Good Pharmacy Practice” (GPP) published by the South African Pharmacy Council, pharmacists  “. . . must not purchase, sell or supply any medicinal product where the pharmacist has any reason to doubt its safety, quality or … Read the rest