What is the ancient tradition of medical ethics in the history of medicine

What is the ancient medical ethical tradition in the history of medicine

Medical ethics is the ancient medical ethical tradition.

Medical ethics is the discipline of applying general ethical principles to solve medical moral problems and medical moral phenomena in the process of health care practice and medical development. Do you know its historical origin? The following with the editor to take a look at it!

1. Historical origin

Medical ethics comes from the special nature of the doctor-patient relationship in medical work. Patients seeking medical treatment generally rely on the professional knowledge and skills of medical personnel, and often can not judge the quality of medical treatment; patients often have to tell some of their privacy to medical personnel, which means that the patient has to trust medical personnel. This brings a special moral obligation to medical personnel: put the interests of the patient in the first place, take appropriate action to make themselves worthy of and maintain the trust of patients.

So, it is the fiduciary model that characterizes the basic nature of the doctor-patient relationship: the fiduciary relationship is based on the patient's special trust in the health care provider, who is trusted to act in good faith, out of justice and conscience, to put the interests of the former first.

2. Historical Development

The Hippocratic Oath, written in the fourth century BC, is the earliest document on medical ethics, and its main point is that a doctor should take measures for the benefit of the patient in accordance with his or her own "competence and judgment," and keep the patient's secret.

The two codes of ethics adopted by the World Medical Federation, the 1948 Geneva Declaration and the 1949 Code of Medical Ethics, both developed the spirit of the Hippocratic Oath, stating clearly that the health of the patient is the first concern of the medical profession and of paramount importance, and that the medical profession should keep the patient's confidentiality without exception, and treat their colleagues as brothers. They should keep the secrets of their patients without exception, treat their colleagues as brothers, and adhere to the honorable and noble traditions of the medical profession.