Deliberating Animal Values: a Pragmatic-Pluralistic Approach to Animal Ethics.

Debates in animal ethics are largely characterized by ethical monism, the search for a single, timeless, and essential trait in which the moral standing of animals can be grounded. In this paper, we argue that a monistic approach towards animal ethics hampers and oversimplifies the moral debate. The value pluralism present in our contemporary societies requires a more open and flexible approach to moral inquiry. This paper advocates the turn to a pragmatic, pluralistic approach to animal ethics. It contributes to the development of such an approach in two ways. It offers a pragmatist critique of ethical monism in animal ethics and presents the results of a qualitative study into the value diversity present in the different ways of thinking about animals in the Netherlands. Carefully arranged group discussions resulted in the reconstruction of four distinctive moral value frameworks that may serve as instruments in the future process of moral inquiry and deliberation in the reflection on animal use. © 2010 The Author(s)

The Effects of Acquisition Cost and Budget-Based Compensation on the Attitudes of Pharmacy Directors toward the Adoption of a Cost-Effective Drug

To test the effect of differences in acquisition cost and budget-based monetary compensation systems on the intent to support the adoption of a cost-effective new drug, over 350 hospital pharmacy directors were asked to indicate their intentions as to the adoption of a cost-effective new thrombolytic agent, presented at 3 different prices. Although the economic savings for the hypothetical product were constant across all price points tested, respondents exposed to the highest price were more likely to resist the adoption of the new agent than those exposed to lower prices (p \u3c 0.001). Respondents whose compensation was contingent on their control of the drug budget indicated a higher likelihood to resist the adoption of the new agent than did those whose salary was not so determined. These findings indicate that significant hurdles, psychological and organizational, still exist for the acceptance and use of pharmacoeconomic information in the hospital setting

The Effects of Acquisition Cost and Budget-Based Compensation on the Attitudes of Pharmacy Directors Toward the Adoption of a Cost-Effective New Drug

To test the effect of differences in acquisition cost and budget-based monetary compensation systems on the intent to support the adoption of a cost-effective new drug, over 350 hospital pharmacy directors were asked to indicate their intentions as to the adoption of a cost-effective new thrombolytic agent, presented at 3 different prices. Although the economic savings for the hypothetical product were constant across all price points tested, respondents exposed to the highest price were more likely to resist the adoption of the new agent than those exposed to lower prices (pPharmacoeconomics, Health-economics, Cost-containment, Cost-analysis

Pharmacy and herbal medicine in the US

Herbal medicine is increasing in popularity in the United States. The market continues to grow, with a presence being established for commercially-prepared herbal products in community pharmacies throughout the nation. This survey was conducted to describe that presence in pharmacies and to describe pharmacists' perceptions of this product class. A response rate of 26.3% (n=512) was achieved for a five-page mail survey sent to a geographically stratified random sample of community pharmacies in the United States. Approximately 73% of pharmacists responding indicated that their pharmacy carried commercially-prepared herbal products. Attitudinal items were included to measure pharmacists' perceptions toward these products, as those perceptions have the potential to influence attitudes and subsequently behavior (such as clinical involvement with patients wishing to integrate herbal products into an existing regimen). Pharmacists, on average, did not believe that herbal products are well standardized, or that the products are well accepted by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Much potential exists for pharmacists to fill a role as information provider to patients who self-medicate with herbal medicines; must their perceptions of the product class be changed first?Herbal medicine Community pharmacy United States