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MEDICAL ETHICS

MEDICAL ETHICS. IFMSA March Meeting. World Medical Association. The WMA was founded in 1947 by physicians from 27 countries Membership includes over 80 National Medical Associations and over 8 million physicians

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MEDICAL ETHICS

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  1. MEDICAL ETHICS IFMSA March Meeting

  2. World Medical Association • The WMA was founded in 1947 by physicians from 27 countries • Membership includes over 80 National Medical Associations and over 8 million physicians • The WMA works to ensure the independence of physicians and the highest possible ethical standard of care and behavior by physicians • Funding is provided by the annual contributions of member associations

  3. Structure of the World Medical Association • The main decision-making body of the WMA is the General Assembly. • The Assembly elects the WMA Council every two years. • The Chairperson of Council, elected by the WMA Council every two years, is the political head of the organization. • The Ceremonial Head of the WMA is the President, elected annually by the Assembly. • The Secretary-General, appointed by the WMA Council, is in full-time employment at the WMA Secretariat in Ferney-Voltaire, France.

  4. WMA – Facts & Figures • The WMA publishes the World Medical Journal • The WMA convenes its General Assembly once a year and its Council twice a year • The WMA offers CME on its site with internet courses; so far the topics covered are Prison Medicine, TB and Medical Ethics

  5. Medical Ethics – Early History • Hippocrates (500 BC) is generally regarded as the founder of medical ethics • Originator of the concept of medicine as a profession whereby physicians make a public declaration to place the needs and interests of patients above their own • During the Middle Ages medical ethics was strongly influenced by religious thinkers • The first book dedicated to medical ethics, “The Conduct of a Physician” was written by Ishaq bin Ali Rahawi

  6. Medical Ethics – History Continued Other sources of medical ethics were: • Muhammad ibn Zakariya ar-Razi (Muslim) • Maimonides (Jewish) • Thomas Aquinas (Christian) • The British physician Thomas Percival (1740-1804) wrote about medical jurisprudence and reportedly coined the phrase “medical ethics” • In 1847, the American Medical Association adopted its first code of ethics, with this being based in large part upon Percival's work

  7. WMA & Medical Ethics • From its inception after the Second World War, the WMA has worked to prevent the unethical conduct of physicians • The WMA revived the Hippocratic oath and the practice of it being administered as part of a medical licensing ceremony  The oath was revived by studying the oaths and promises used by national medical associations

  8. WMA & Medical Ethics Continued • In 1952 the WMA established the Committee on Medical Ethics whose task it was to discuss the various ethical issues brought to the attention of the WMA • Since then, the WMA has adopted policy statements on over 100 topics, most of which are ethical in nature • The WMA has no legal powers, but the numerous statements, resolutions and declarations it has issued have great weight in national and international debates

  9. Declaration of Geneva • The WMA updated the Hippocratic Oath so as to be applicable to the 20th century with the Declaration of Geneva at the WMA’s 2nd General Assembly in 1948 • Since then it has been amended in 1968, 1983, 1994, 2005 and 2006

  10. International Code of Medical Ethics • The International Code of Medical Ethics was adopted at the WMA’s 3rd General Assembly in 1949 • It was prepared in light of the WMA report on “War Crimes & Medicine” • It was amended in 1968, 1983, and 2006 when it was formally combined with the Declaration of Geneva • This code relays the duties of a physician in general, to patients and to colleagues

  11. The Declaration of Helsinki 1964 • Internationally regarded as a cornerstone of research ethics • One of the most important measures protecting human subjects involved in medical research • It made the free will of the participant (informed consent) the basis for any research on humans • The Declaration has been amended 6 times, most recently in October 2008

  12. Declaration of Tokyo • Outlines the guidelines for physicians concerning torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in relation to detention and imprisonment • The Declaration was adopted by the 29th WMA Assembly in 1975 and has not been integrally revised since

  13. Declaration of Tokyo Continued • The British Medical Association first raised the issue of medical aspects of torture to the WMA in 1974 • The British, Irish, and French Medical Associations prepared the draft declaration which was unanimously adopted by the GA in Tokyo, 1975 • The WHO forwarded this declaration to the Fifth U.N. Congress on Crime and Treatment of Offenders. The U.N. Congress used the WMA Declaration as a its background paper

  14. Deciding What Is Ethical • The WMA guarantees its ethical policy statements reflect a consensus by requiring 75% of the vote in order to approve or revise policy • Before the vote, the draft policy undergoes a lengthy process of consultation and revision • The WMA also considers the positions of national and international organizations before determining its position

  15. WMA Medical Ethics Unit • The Ethics Unit in the WMA was established in 2003 in order to expand the WMA’s activities on the subject • The job of the Ethics Unit is to aid the WMA Council and standing committees review and update policies and develop new policies on emerging ethical issues • The Ethics Unit also serves as a hub of information on ethics for national medical associations and physician members

  16. WMA Medical Ethics Manual • The Manual was launched in January 2005 • The Manual has been distributed to medical journals and medical schools around the world and has been translated into the following languages: • French, Spanish, Macedonian, Albanian, Traditional Mandarin, Korean, Indonesian, German, Arabic, Turkish, Russian, Bulgarian, Japanese, Estonian, Georgian • In the beginning of June, the Ethics Manual will be launched in Ukrainian

  17. WMA Ethics Manual - Purpose • The Manual is NOT a problem solver • The Manual aids in recognizing ethical problems • The Manual attempts to clarify methods for solving ethical challenges • The Manual focuses on the practical side to medical ethics • The Manual acts as a method for teaching medical ethics

  18. Other Policies WMA Ethical policies include the topics of: • The duties of a physician • The rights of a patient • Organ trade • The abuse of the elderly • Telemedicine • Violence & Health

  19. Conclusion • The WMA sees its role as leading the development of medical ethics throughout the world • The WMA Medical Ethics Manual aspires to aid physicians in identifying practical, ethical challenges and to aid medical students in the study of ethics.

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