Community Pharmacy Ethical Practice in Southern Libya: Assessing Attitude Needs

Abstract

Pharmacists work within strict legal and professional regulations that may conflict with their moral judgments, potentially leading to moral distress. Despite its importance, limited research has explored ethical attitudes and moral challenges among community pharmacists, particularly in Libya. This study aimed to assess community pharmacists’ attitudes, needs, and perceived barriers to the application of ethical principles in Libya, while also examining potential regional variations, with particular emphasis on the Southern region. A cross-sectional study was conducted among community pharmacists in Sebha City, southern Libya, from February to May 2025. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering ethical scenarios, professional characteristics, and factors influencing ethical practice. Statistical analyses were performed to examine the relationships between pharmacists’ ethical attitudes and selected variables. Approximately half of the pharmacies served 51–100 patients daily, and the mean reported working time was 33.50 ± 17.87 hours per week. Nearly two-thirds of participants (63.2%) had previously received ethics education, while 53.8% reported access to ethical information resources in their workplace. Most pharmacists disagreed with dispensing unnecessary medications (90.5%) and agreed that patients should be informed before substituting generic medicines (91.5%). However, more than half reported that they might dispense medicines despite concerns about inappropriate use, while a substantial proportion indicated a willingness to disclose confidential patient information to close relatives. No significant associations were found between ethical attitudes and demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). In contrast, access to ethical information resources was significantly associated with ethical attitudes. Overall, community pharmacists in Sebha demonstrated generally positive ethical attitudes, although notable gaps were identified regarding patient confidentiality and the inappropriate use of medicines. Improving access to ethical resources and implementing targeted ethics education programs could help strengthen ethical decision-making and promote higher standards of ethical practice in community pharmacies.