Pope says pharmacists must disclose moral implications of medications

Published: 2007-10-29

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pharmacists must be teachers who not only instruct patients on the proper use of their medications, but also on the potential moral implications of taking certain drugs, Pope Benedict XVI said. A pharmacist cannot "anesthetize consciences," the pope said Oct. 29 in a meeting with 90 people participating in the International Congress of Catholic Pharmacists. As intermediaries between doctors and patients, pharmacists have an educational role in helping patients take their drugs correctly, "and, especially, in raising awareness about the ethical implications of the use of certain medications," the pope said. "In this area, it is not possible to anesthetize consciences, for example, about the effects of (a drug's) molecules to prevent the implantation of an embryo or to shorten a person's life," he said. Some drugs sold as birth control do not prevent fertilization, but rather prevent a fertilized egg from being implanted in the uterus. Pope Benedict told the pharmacists that they must do their part to protect every individual from the moment of conception to natural death and to ensure that drugs are used only to benefit health.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .