MEDICAL  ETHICS  
u “ETHICS”  DERIVED  FROM  GREEK  
WORD  “ETHIKOS”,  MEANING  
CHARACTER,  MANNERS  OR  MORALS  

u OXFORD  ENGLISH  DICTIONARY  

MEANING  “THE  SCIENCE  OF  MORALS”  
“morals”  –  used  in  relaCon  to  social  
behavior  whereas  “ethics”  is  used  in  
relaCon  to  professional  behavior      
 
Most  professions  have  developed  
their  own  code  of  ethics  
 
Medical  ethics  is  a  code  of  conduct  for  
doctors  formulated  by  the  governing  body  
(medical  council)  in  a  country  to  be  
followed  by  the  its  members  
 
 
The  code  of  conduct  is  based  on  the  
guidelines  laid  down  by  the  General  
Medical  Council  
HIPPOCRATIC  OATH  
• Treat  your  teachers  like  your  own  
parents  
• Treat  pa:ents  to  the  best  of  your  
ability  &  judgment  
• Never  do  any  harm  to  pa:ent    
• Never  abuse  pa:ents  
• Never  divulge  pa:ent’s  informa:on  
even  aAer  death  
DECLARATION  OF  GENEVA    
• Dedicate  my  life  to  the  service  of  
humanity  
• Give  my  teacher  due  respect  &  
gra:tude  
• Prac:ce  with  conscience  &  dignity  
• Health  of  my  pa:ent  is  my  primary  
concern  
• Respect  all  secrets  confided  in  me  
DECLARATION  OF  GENEVA  
contd.  
• Utmost  respect  for  human  life  
• Race/religion  will  not  affect  my  
responsibili:es    
• My  colleagues  are  my  brothers  
• Will  not  use  medical  knowledge  
against  humanity  
  
Duty  of  care  
 
 
• Begins  up  on  establishment  of  a  
doctor-­‐pa:ent  rela:onship  
 
• Applicable  even  when  treatment  is  
free    
Doctor-­‐  Patient  relationship  
• Strict  professional  nature  
• When  a  doctor  undertakes  a  pa:ent  
under  his  care;  take  history  etc.  
• OPD/clinic  in  private  or  state  
hospital  
• Even  in  an  emergency  situa:on  
• WriTen  consent/contract  not  
essen:al  
Doctor-­‐  Patient  relationship  
contd.  

• Prescrip:ons/bills  help  to  prove  the  

doctor-­‐pa:ent  rela:onship  
• Rela:onship  ends  when  the  
treatment  is  completed/pa:ent  
stops  coming/doctor  withdraws;  
pa:ent  does  not  follow  advice  
• Doctor  should  give  adequate  no:ce  
prior  to  withdrawal  
Choice  of  doctor/patient  
• Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  choose  /refuse  
the  doctor  
• Doctor  can  choose  his  pa:ent  except  
in  emergency,  no  other  doctor  
available,  court  orders  to  examine  
the  pa:ent  or  when  working  for  
state  /  private  hospitals  
DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  
 
• Doctor  has  a  duty  to  treat  the  
pa:ent  to  his  maximum  ability  
(highest  standard  of  care)  

• Provide  treatment  during  

emergencies  
Degree  of  skill  /  knowledge  
 
• Depends  on  the  posi:on  held/
qualifica:ons  
• Standard  of  care  expected  
determined  by  one’s  qualifica:on  
• Is  compared  with  that  of  a  colleague  
with  similar  status  
• If  not  qualified/experienced  enough  
refer  to  a  qualified  doctor  
 
DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  contd.  

• Provide  medical  care  with  

compassion  &  respect  for  human  
dignity  
 
• Treat  without  any  discrimina:on  ;  
race,  gender,  poli:cal,  religion  etc    
Duty  to  attend  on  patient  
• Should  aTend  as  long  as  it  requires  

• Cannot  stop  aTending  on  him  

without  his  consent  

• When  necessary  get  a  second  

opinion  
• Take  adequate  and  proper  history  
from  pa:ent/next  of  kin  

• Do  a  complete  physical  examina:on  

• Order  relevant  inves:ga:ons  

 
• Prescribe  suitable  treatment  
DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  contd.  
• Should  provide  a  prescrip:on/
medicine  aAer  examina:on  
• Should  give  detailed  instruc:ons/
medica:on  &  other  instruc:ons  diet  
etc.  
• Should  warn  on  possible  side  effects  
of  drugs/any  other  precau:ons  
DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  contd.  
• Maintain  highest  degree  of  
professional  secrecy  
• Should  not  have  sexual  rela:onship  
with  pa:ents  (

• Fees  be  reasonable  

DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  contd.  
• Doctor  is  expected  keep  abreast  with  
advancing  medical  knowledge  

• In  some  countries  renewal  of  the  

licence  to  pracCce  medicine  requires  
achieving  a  sCpulated  number  of  CME  
points  (ConCnuous  Medical  EducaCon  
points)        
DUTIES  OF  MEDICAL  
OFFICERS  contd.  
• No:ce  of  termina:on  of  doctor-­‐
pa:ent  rela:onship  

• May  stop  aTending  only  when:  

instruc:ons  not  followed/doctor  is  
indisposed/fees  not  paid/another  
doctor  is  also  trea:ng/resor:ng  to  
other  means  of  treatment  
Duty  towards  colleagues  
• Should  treat  them  like  his  brothers  
• Should  not  cri:cize  other  doctors  
• Should  share  knowledge  
• Should  not  en:ce  pa:ents  from  
colleagues  
Duty  to  the  society  
• No:fica:on  of  no:fiable  diseases  
• Undertake  medico-­‐legal  du:es;  
examina:on  of  pa:ents  for  medico-­‐
legal  purposes    
• Give  evidence  (expert  opinion)  in  
court  when  summoned  
• Report  risks  of  crime/dangers  to  
society  
PATIENT’S  RIGHTS  
•  Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  respec_ul  care  
•  Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  obtain  from  the  
doctor  all  the  informa:on  regarding  
diagnosis,  treatment,  prognosis  and  
treatment  op:ons  
•  Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  informa:on  
necessary  to  give  informed  consent  
before  the  proposed  course  of  
treatment  
PATIENT’S  RIGHTS  contd.  
•  Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  expect  
confiden:ality  with  regard    to  all  his  
medical  documents      
•       Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  expect        
           reasonable  con:nuity  of  care  
•  Pa:ent  has  a  right  to  refuse  
treatment