The neighbour principle related to the sale and supply of medicines

Presenter: Ravi Vohora

According to Richard Lord Atkin, an Australian-born law lord famous for his judicial decisions, the biblical command to love one’s neighbour gives rise to a legal duty to prevent foreseeable harms and injuries. Lawyers refer to this legal duty as the neighbour principle.

Although the above ruling by Lord Atkin was made in 1932, the notion of the neighbour principle can help provide us with a better understanding of the laws made in the aftermath of the Statute of Monopolies 1624 linked to the sale and supply of medicines.

Sir Edward Coke (1552–1634), an English barrister and parliamentarian, should be given credit for the Statute of Monopolies 1624 (the 1624 Statute) and for the Petition of Rights 1628 (the 1628 Petition). The 1624 Statute gave rise to modern commerce, modern occupations, modern science, modern universities and modern professions (including the profession of medicine). It can be concluded that together with the 1628 Petition, the 1624 Statute gave rise to the modern world we are fortunate to live in.

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