Irreconcilable conflict: the tobacco industry and the public health challenge of tobacco use. (57/86)

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Restoring professionalism: the physician fitness-for-duty evaluation. (58/86)

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Restrictions on the conduct of advertising of medicinal products in Poland and their violations. (59/86)

Similarly to other European countries, the Polish pharmaceutical market is in the phase of maturity characterized by limited speed of increase in sales. In connection with escalation of the competitive struggle, being the result of globalization and development of enterprises producing generic medications, the most important aim for pharmaceutical companies has been to maintain profitability on the right level. To perform this task, companies producing medications have to carry out proper marketing actions. The marketing elements include, apart from the product, the price and the distribution, also promotion which is inextricably linked with advertising. It is a special type of information message that aims at evoking a specific consumer's attitude and belief. Advertising of medicinal products is subject to detailed legislative and non-legislative regulations. The aim of the article is to present legal regulations within the scope of advertising of medicinal products and violations of these regulations based on example decisions of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector issued in the years 2008-2010. Abundant rulings of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector prove that both advertisements addressed to public attention and those addressed to specialists often diverge from the criteria determined by the Pharmaceutical Law. In the face of still increasing violations of the provisions of the Pharmaceutical Law act, it seems that introducing a ban on advertising or any possible financial sanctions is not a sufficient punishment for advertisers. Thus, an introduction of other, more rigorous legal regulations as a deterrent for those involved in illegal advertising of medicinal products ought to be considered.  (+info)

Managing professional boundaries. (60/86)

The maintenance of boundaries in the doctor-patient relationship is central to good medical practice and the appropriate care of patients. This article examines the nature of boundaries in medical practice and outlines some strategies to minimise the risk of a boundary violation.  (+info)

Duty of care or a matter of conduct -- can a doctor refuse a person in need of urgent medical attention? (61/86)

BACKGROUND: Medical practitioners may have their particular skills called upon outside a direct professional context. The responsibilities of medical practitioners outside their defined scope of clinical practice may not be clear to all clinicians. OBJECTIVE: To consider the possible legal consequences of a doctor refusing to assist a person in need of urgent medical attention both in terms of medical negligence and professional misconduct. DISCUSSION: Where an established clinical relationship does not exist, and a doctor does not wish to render aid, three particular scenarios may arise. A doctor may actively deny being a doctor, passively avoid identifying themselves as a doctor or acknowledge being a doctor, but refuse to render assistance. Aside from any ethical issues, how a doctor chooses to act and represent themselves may lead to different legal ramifications. There exists significant variation in state provisions relating to legal obligations to render aid, which may benefit from review and revision at a national level.  (+info)

Doctors and patients.(62/86)

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Death from interventionist radiology: a cautionary tale.(63/86)

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Refusal to treat AIDS and HIV positive patients.(64/86)

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