Medical Ethics is the discipline of evaluating the merits, risks, and social concerns of activities in the field of medicine. Principles include:
A practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient (Salus aegroti suprema lex)
“First, do no harm” (primum non nocere), from the Hippocratic Oath
Autonomy is a patient’s right to choose or refuse treatment (Voluntas aegroti suprema lex)
Justice – concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment
Dignity – the patient (and the person treating the patient) have the right to dignity
Truthfulness – patients should not be lied to, and deserves to know the whole truth about their illness and treatment
Principles such as these do not give answers as to how to handle a particular situation, but guide doctors on what principles ought to apply to actual circumstances. See also Hippocratic Oath, Justice and Utility, Statement of Principles and Objectives of Equitable Organ Allocation.
(OPTN Glossary May 2021)