Medical Law and Ethics - Essay Example

It is thus clear that Jerry is not qualified to carry out the supply to the patient (Baxter & Brennan, 2005). The only qualification required lawfully to dispense medication to any patient or any medical situation in and outside the healthcare setting is a license to do so. With or with no medical training, it is against the law to refill a medical script with no the appropriate license. There are several factors as to why Jerry should not refill the prescription. Firstly, valium is not an anti-depressant as the patient claims.

In fact, this drug can do more harm to depression. Secondly, Jerry has no authority to recommend medications (Herring, 2006). Each every medication refills ought to be approved by the doctor or another empowered figure at the hospital, finally, the decision on whether the patient needs valium in the course of the flight or not is made by the patient’s physician and not by the patient himself. Even if the medication were required to control high blood pressure, it would make no difference, according to the medical ethics; Jerry is not qualified to issue medical prescriptions.

Jerry is supposed to convince the patient that he is not qualified to refill the prescription but is willing to do everything to make sure that he informs the doctor. If the patient were in a critical condition, the right thing would be to make an effort of reaching Dr. Williams for the sake of the emergency with the critical patient’s prescription to be filled in. Once the Doctor is back from the lunch break, Jerry ought to provide the order to him so that it can be filled as soon as possible (Fremgen, 2008).

In this case, both the doctor and Jerry are liable for the act of medical negligence. Precisely Jerry would be charged since he is not protected from any charges under the doctrine of respondent superior.