There are new technologies of which pharmaceutical physicians should be aware, such as pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, which are used for selecting and classifying patients. In the design of research protocols using such tools, pharmaceutical physicians should be vigilant in protecting patient rights.

Specific areas of ethical concern:

- Understanding and respecting local regulations and conventions governing the collection, management and specific analysis of clinical data for which consent may not necessarily have been given (pharmacoepidemiology).
- Ensuring the maintenance of high ethical standards and fulfilment of all legal requirements when using electronic clinical data management.
- Maintaining awareness of controversial and new therapeutic approaches in the wider context of the practice of medicine where ethical issues arise e.g. the sampling and use of human body products (including organs, tissues, fluids or gametes), in-vitro fertilisation or other methods of medically assisted procreation where medicinal products may be involved, prenatal diagnosis, certain aspects of contraception and abortion, and the interface with medical devices and delivery mechanisms.
- The long-term storage of blood taken for genetic testing, and the consequences to the patients and their families of results from tests performed in the future.