Naidoo, Sudeshni2015-09-112015-09-112013Naidoo, S. (2013) Drug-abusing patients - Can I refuse to treat them?. Current Allergy & Clinical immunology, 26 (4)1609-3607http://hdl.handle.net/10566/1598In the past few months, there have been increasing numbers of drug-abusing patients attending my practice. More recently, an anorexic, very agitated and nervous 20-year-old presented at my consulting rooms requesting medication for pain. He reported using methamphetamine (‘tik’) for the better part of 5 years. When he was refused pain medication he became aggressive and violent towards staff members. What are my ethical obligations, and can I refuse to treat patients who abuse drugs?enOpen access journalDrug abusePatientsTreatmentArticle