Declaration of Geneva

The Declaration of Geneva was adopted by the General Assembly of the World Medical Association at Geneva in 1948 and amended in 1968, 1984, 1994, 2005 and 2006. It is a declaration of physicians dedication to the humanitarian goals of medicine, a declaration that was especially important in view of the medical crimes which had just been committed in Nazi Germany. The Declaration of Geneva was intended as a revision of the oath of Hippocrates to a formulation of that oath's moral truths that could be comprehended and acknowledged modernly.

The original Declaration of Geneva reads:
At the time of being admitted as a Member of the medical profession
• I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity :
• I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due;
• I will practise my profession with conscience and dignity;
• The health and life of my patient will be my first consideration;
• I will respect the secrets which are confided in me;
• I will maintain by all means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
• My colleagues will be my brothers
• I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient;
• I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, from the time of its conception, even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;
• I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
The Declaration of Geneva, as currently amended, reads:
At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession:
• I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
• I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
• I will practise my profession with conscience and dignity;
• The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
• I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
• I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
• My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
• I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
• I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
• I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
• I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
The amendments to the Declaration have been criticised as "imping[ing] on the inviolability of human life" because, for example, the original made "health and life" the doctor's "first consideration" whereas the amended version removes the words "and life", and the original required respect for human life "from the time of its conception" which was changed to "from its beginning" in 1984 and deleted in 2005. These changes have been criticised as straying from the Hippocratic tradition and as a deviation from the post Nuremberg concern of lack of respect for human life.


World Medical Association International Code of Medical Ethics
Adopted by the 3rd General Assembly of the World Medical Association, London, England, October 1949
and amended by the 22nd World Medical Assembly Sydney, Australia, August 1968
and the 35th World Medical Assembly Venice, Italy, October 1983
and the WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa, October 2006

DUTIES OF PHYSICIANS IN GENERAL

A PHYSICIAN SHALL always exercise his/her independent professional judgment and maintain the highest standards of professional conduct.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL respect a competent patient's right to accept or refuse treatment.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL not allow his/her judgment to be influenced by personal profit or unfair discrimination.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL be dedicated to providing competent medical service in full professional and moral independence, with compassion and respect for human dignity.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL deal honestly with patients and colleagues, and report to the appropriate authorities those physicians who practice unethically or incompetently or who engage in fraud or deception.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL not receive any financial benefits or other incentives solely for referring patients or prescribing specific products.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL respect the rights and preferences of patients, colleagues, and other health professionals.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL recognize his/her important role in educating the public but should use due caution in divulging discoveries or new techniques or treatment through non-professional channels.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL certify only that which he/she has personally verified.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL strive to use health care resources in the best way to benefit patients and their community.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL seek appropriate care and attention if he/she suffers from mental or physical illness.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL respect the local and national codes of ethics.

DUTIES OF PHYSICIANS TO PATIENTS
A PHYSICIAN SHALL always bear in mind the obligation to respect human life.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL act in the patient's best interest when providing medical care.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL owe his/her patients complete loyalty and all the scientific resources available to him/her. Whenever an examination or treatment is beyond the physician's capacity, he/she should consult with or refer to another physician who has the necessary ability.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL respect a patient's right to confidentiality. It is ethical to disclose confidential information when the patient consents to it or when there is a real and imminent threat of harm to the patient or to others and this threat can be only removed by a breach of confidentiality.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL give emergency care as a humanitarian duty unless he/she is assured that others are willing and able to give such care.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL in situations when he/she is acting for a third party, ensure that the patient has full knowledge of that situation.
A PHYSICIAN SHALL not enter into a sexual relationship with his/her current patient or into any other abusive or exploitative relationship.

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