Ethics and the medical practitioner Dr Sanjaya Hulathduwa MBBS, MD, DLM, DMJ Path(Lond) DMJ Clin(Lond), Dip. Crim MFFLF(UK) Senior Lecturer Head-Dept. of Forensic Medicine Medico legal module 21 st batch June 2014

This topic will be discussed under: a. basic principles in medical ethics b. ethics and the medical practitioner

Basic principles in medical ethics 1.Non maleficence 2.Beneficence 3.Autonomy 4.Justice 5.Privacy  What happens when these principles clash/conflict with each other?

Ethics and the medical practitioner Ethical codes are guidelines by which persons measure the honourable behaviour/standards of a profession. Most ethical codes have 3 components 1.Standards of professional competence 2. Standards of professional integrity 3. Accepted professional procedures/etiquette

Hippocratic Oath Document prepared by the Australian Medical Association Declaration of Geneva International Code of Medical Ethics (WMA)

Rights of the patients (Declaration of Lisbon)

Duties of a Medical Officer 1.Duties towards patients 2. Duties towards colleagues/fellow doctors 3. Duties towards the society