Pharmaco-Legal Issues in Drug Administration and Consumption

Abstract

In order to explain the layered sheath-like consumer protection against counterfeit, fake, adulterated and substandard drugs in modern pharmacy practice, this work designed a Drug Consumer Protection Model. It further explored the role of the law, practice and care in achieving a complete consumer protection based on the concepts of pre-exposure and post-exposure. Under the layers and sub-layers identified, the producer (pharmacist) is prone to an assortment of liabilities including criminal, civil and professional discipline. Nonetheless, having regard to the relative protection the law accords the producer through available defenses, this work advocates the need not to unduly fetter the discretion of the producer as a professional.