Etický kódex
MEDICINA ALTERNATIVA INTERNATIONAL (Established 1962) - Affiliated to THE OPEN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
CODE OF ETHICS
PREAMBLE
The Alma-Ata declaration defines its strategy as “Health for All”, trough primary health care. This is in pursuance of the aims declared at the WHO/UNICEF sponsored Conference at Alma –Ata, USSR. Primary health care has been described as “essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially accepted methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that a community and a country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self determination”.
Subsequently, the Alma-Ata declaration outlined that the primary health care is based on the training and scientific orientation provided to health care works including physicians, nurses, midwives, auxiliary and community workers and traditional medical practitioners. Therefore, Medicina Alternativa has established guidelines and regulations outlining the code of ethics that healers are expected to follow consequent to their training, certification and membership of Medicina Alternativa.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Medicina Alternativa was formed in 1962 and its membership is limited. The aims of Medicina Alternativa are “to advance the scientific study and professional practice of Alternativa of Medicines and enhance the contribution of Alternative Medicines by encouraging its development by promoting research, laying high standards of professional ethics, competence, conduct, education, qualifications and achievement amongst practitioners promoting the dissemination of knowledge and thought about Alternative Medicines through meetings, lectures, seminars, workshops, reports, papers, discussions, publications and professional contacts: with the wide interest and inquiry into Alternative Medicines and all related areas of knowledge and practice”.
INTRODUCTION
Practitioners are governed by legislation and regulation which is appropriate to their country in which they hold registration. In addition to, and in amplification of, the following regulations shall apply.
A. Duties of Practitioners in General
A. 1. A practitioners must always maintain the highest standards of professional conduct towards both the individual and society.
A. 2. A practitioners must not allow himself to be influenced merely by motives of profit.
A. 3. The following practices are deemed unethical:
(a) Any self advertisement expect such as is expressly authorised by the code of ethics.
(b) Taking part in any plan of medical care in which the practitioner does not have proffessional independence.
(c) To receive any funds in connection with services rendered to a patient order than the acceptances of a proper professional fee, or to pay any money in the same circumstances without the knowledg of the patient, such as commissions, kickbacks and gifts.
A. 4. Under no circumstances is a practitioners permitted to do anything that would weaken the physical or mental resistence of a human being, expect for strictly therapeutic or prophylactic Indications imposed in the interest of the patient.
A. 5. A pracitioner is advised to use great caution in publishing discoveries. The same applies to methods of treatment whose value is not yet recognised by the profession at large.
A. 6. When a practitioner is called upon to give evidence in court on a legal matter, or issue a certificate, he should only state that which he can verify. No hearsay should be included.
B. Duties of the Practitioner to the Patient
B. 1. A practitioner must always bear in mind the importance of preserving all life from the time of conception until death.
B. 2. A pracitioner owes to his patient complete loyalty and all the resources of this therapy. Whenever an examination or treatment is beyond his capacity he should summon another practitioner, who has the necessery ability, immediately.
B. 3. A practitioner owes to his patient absolute secrecy on all events which have been confided to him or which he knows because of the confidence entrusted to him.
B. 4. A practitioner must give the necessary treatment in an emergency, unless he is assured that it can and will be given by another in due time.
B. 5. Every patient has the right to expect a complete and thorough examination of his disorder and that accurate records will be kept.
B. 6. A practitioner should unceasingly, in the interests of his patients, improve his knowledge and skill continuously.
C. Duties of Practitioners to Each Other
C. 1. A practitioner ought to behave towards his collegues to create mutual trust.
C. 2. A practitioner must not entice patients from his collegues.
C. 3. A practitioner must observe all the principles and guidelines laid down by Medicina Alternativa.
D. The Practitioner and Commercial Undertakings
D. 1. A general ethical priciple is that a practitioner should not associate himself with commerce in such a way as to let it influence, or appear to influence, his attitude towards the treatment of his patients.
D. 2. Testimonials or laudatory certificates, whether for publication or not, of any appliance or apparatus or dressing or any medicinal preparation or any cosmetics or food should not be given by a practitioner.
D. 3. Practitioners should not sanction the quotation of an extract from any publication or report for the purpose of the trade expect with the authority of Medicina Alternativa.
E. The Practitioner and the General Public
E. 1. A practitioner should not attemp in any way to advertise himself expect by the legitimate means of propiency in his work and by skill and succes in his practice.
E. 2. It is unethicall for a member to insert any advertisement in the public press, or issue any card or circular relating to his profession or the clinical practice expect int he following circumstances:
(a) on commencing practice,
(b) on changing his or her addres,
(c) on temporary absence form the practice,
(d) on resumption of the practice,
(e) on disponal of the practice,
(f) on succeeding to another practice,
(g) on entering or retiring from a partnership,
(h) on discintinuance of a colleague in a group practice.
E. 3. A medical journal advertisement must by simple and direct as possible. Every advertisement shall be "run on", without spacing and without display. The type shall be that ordinarily used for articles. No more space shall be given to the advertisement than tha require to print it. Hours of consultation, address and telephone number may be inserted.
E. 4. Letters of abbreviatins indicating all other qualifications may be added. A statement constitutes the pracitce of the healer for not less than five years.
E. 5. It is unethical for any member to permit his name to be used in any material relating to diseases or their treatment which is published in the public press or broadcast by radio or television. Approval may be given by Medicina Alternativa, on application, to waive this rule when departure from anonymity is in the public or professional interests.
E. 6. No interview with a media reporter on subjects relating to diseases and their treatment should be given by a member except:
(a) That the name of the member interviewed should not be published, nor his identity revealed in any report published of the interview, except with the approval of Medicina Alternativa or an authorised organisation.
(b) That, if possible, a copy of the report proposed to be published be submitted for prior approval.
(c) That the member interviewed should not imply that the has superior ability over other practitioners.
E. 7. Public lectures or addresses to lay audiences may be given on professional subjects in order to promote Alternative Medicines.
E. 8. No member, except with the approvael in writing of Medicina Alternativa, shall have his name plate affixed elesewhere other than:
(a) at his residence,
(b) at premises where he attends regularly for the purposes of treating his patients.
E. 9. Name plates shall be unostentatious in size and lettering and form, and may bear the name, qualification and practice hours. A statement of speciality may appear only if thet speciality constitutes the sole practice of the member.
E. 10. Practitioners may display the following titles after conferment, in addition to their clinical qualification:
M.Ac.F. (Member Acupuncture Foundation)
F.Ac.F. (Fellow Acupuncture Foundation)
F.F.Hom. (Fellow Homeopatic Foundation)
M.F.Hom. (Member Homeopatic Fountation)
M.M.A. (Member of Medicina Alternativa)
F.M.A. (Fellow of Medicina Alternativa)
Ph.D. (M.A.) Doctor of Philosophy (Medicina Alternativa)
Ph.D. (Acu.) Doctor of Philosophy (Acupuncture)
M.D. (M.A.) Doctor of Medicine (Medicina Alternativa)
M.D. (T.M.) Doctor of Medicine (Traditional Medicines)
and other approved titles.
F. Deregistration and Expulsion
F. 1. Any member, whose name has been removed from the Medical Register of his state or country by reasons of conviction of an indictable offence or imfamous conduct in a professional respect, shall cease to be a member. If the name is subsequently restored on the Register, Medicina Alternativa shall. on application, decide the propriety of his being readmitted to membership.
F. 2. Medicina Alternativa shall have power expel from membership of the Society any member on the ground that his conduct is deemed by the Society to be detrimental to the honour and/or interests of the profession or the Society into disrepute, or on the grounds that the member has wilfully and persistently refused to comply with the Rules of the Society or the Articles or the bylaws of the Society.
F. 3. A resolution to expel a member must be carried by a two-thirds majority of the directors of Medicina Alternativa present and voting.
F. 4. An expelled member shall, notwithstanding that the has ceased to be a member, be liable to pay all sums due from him to the Society at the time of his expulsion.
F. 5. No canvassing for membership of any professional Society is allowed. This rule must be strictly followed at congresses and symposia.
G. Procedures in Ethical Matters
An ethics subcommittee is appointed annually to investigate any questions of ethics which are brought to notice by the Chairman.
H. Teching Courses, Symposia, Congresses
Affiliated societies may make applications for recognition of their teaching curricula, symposia and congresses organised by them. The logo of Medicina Alternativa may only be used after obtaining written approval.
I. Legal Advice
Medicina Alternativa shall arrange legal advice for all its members who desire or require such advice.
Medicina Alternativa 1980
Prof. Dr. Sir Anton Jayasuryia
Chairman
Dean OIUCM