An introduction to medical ethics

The three central chapters describe physicians’ relationships with patients, society and colleagues, respectively. The chapter on patients contains standard medical ethics fare: confidentiality, informed consent, incompetent patients, and issues at the beginning and end of life. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are condemned as unethical, while abortion is left to “individual conviction and conscience”. The chapters on society and colleagues discuss a range of issues including resource allocation, public and global health and the evolving role of doctors in the health care team. The international orientation of the WMA is reflected in sections on human rights, professional duties (such as avoiding participation in torture), and the need for countries to educate their own doctors rather than securing them from less advantaged places. Research ethics are covered in a brief but comprehensive discussion.