ETHICS AND PUBLIC-POLICY FORMULATION - A CASE EXAMPLE RELATED TO PRESCRIPTION PRIVILEGES

Psychologists actively engaged in public policy formulation are concer ned that psychology's ethical standards and code of conduct may be ine ffective in providing guidance for their professional activities. Shou ld efforts to shape public policy be considered within psychology's sc ope of practice or considered as an individual activity? Psychology's legislative efforts to obtain prescriptive authority represent a graph ic and volatile example of this dilemma. What are the reasonable ethic al constraints facing psychologists in administrative and public polic y positions who wish to advance the profession?