New Code of Ethics released to guide contemporary pharmacist practice
1 July 2026
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today launched the new Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, a contemporary framework to support ethical decision-making and strengthen patient-centred care across the profession.
The Code of Ethics for Pharmacists applies to all pharmacists and pharmacy students registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. It outlines the values of the pharmacy profession and the expected ethical standards all pharmacists in Australia, across all areas of practice, must adhere to.
The new Code has been redesigned to reflect the expanding roles of pharmacists. It acknowledges the increasingly complex healthcare landscape, including prescribing and vaccination services, growth in digital health, expanded scope of practice, and growing patient needs.
The 2026 Code is built around four domains: Care, Integrity, Competency, and – for the first time – Collaboration.
Project Advisory Group Chair, Dr Ayomide Ogundipe MPS, said the new Code reflects the collective voices of the profession, consumers, and the wider healthcare community, following extensive consultation with pharmacy organisations and stakeholders across all areas of practice:
“I’m proud the new Code of Ethics for Pharmacists has been released following 12 month of genuinely collaborative development and consultation. The first-of-its-kind approach brought together pharmacists from all areas of practice, consumers, pharmacy organisations, and other key stakeholders to shape a Code that reflects the profession as it is today: diverse, evolving, and playing an increasingly important role supporting the people and communities they serve.
“Ethics is not abstract. It shapes the decisions pharmacists make every day, from how we communicate with patients and manage conflicts of interest, to when we refer, how we support colleagues and how we respond when the practice environment challenges our ability to provide safe and effective care.
“With greater responsibility from the increasing breadth of scope of practice comes greater accountability. Pharmacists must be familiar with these ethical obligations as our role in the health system continues to grow,” Dr Ogundipe said.
“We heard clearly from the profession that the Code needed to address ethical obligations relating to practitioner wellbeing. The new Code now recognises creating a supportive practice environment as an ethical responsibility, reflecting the reality that safe practice depends not only on individual competence, but also on workplace culture, supervision and support.
“This Code would not have been possible without the expertise, insight and commitment of the Project Advisory Group. I’m deeply grateful for the time and contributions of members representing pharmacy organisations, consumers and government, alongside leading ethicists and pharmacists from across the profession,” Dr Ogundipe concluded.
PSA National President, Professor Mark Naunton MPS, said the Code spoke to the professional identity and expectations patients and the community have of pharmacists:
“The Code of Ethics describes who we are as pharmacists, describing our values and expected behaviours as a profession,” said Professor Naunton.
“Over the last decade, pharmacy practice has evolved. Our scope has grown, our roles have become more specialised, and the services we provide are more complex.
“I welcome the revisions to the Code and encourage every pharmacist to attend the upcoming sessions, which will take them through the new Code and its obligations.
“I thank the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and all organisations which contributed to the Code’s development,” Professor Naunton concluded.
Pharmacists will have the opportunity to learn more about the new Code of Ethics for Pharmacists during the following sessions:
- Webinar: The new Code of Ethics for Pharmacists: What every pharmacist needs to know, Tuesday 21 July, 7.00-8.30 pm
- PSA26: Keeping up with the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists – Saturday 1 August, 11.50–12.35 pm
- PSA26: How do you solve a problem like… –Saturday 1 August, 3.30–4.15 pm
The new Code of Ethics for Pharmacists is now available at: https://www.psa.org.au/code-of-ethics
The development of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Code of Ethics for Pharmacists was supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice.
Media contact: Leah Jacobsen
E: leah.jacobsen@psa.org.au
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.
