‘Declaration of Professional Responsibility’

At its June meeting, the APA Board of Trustees voted to support the AMA’s “Declaration of Professional Responsibility—Medicine’s Social Contract With Humanity.” The document affirms physicians’ duty to “combat natural and man-made assaults on the health and well-being of humankind.” The declaration says physicians commit themselves to

I.   Respect human life and the dignity of every individual.

II.   Refrain from supporting or committing crimes against humanity and condemn all such acts.

III.   Treat the sick and injured with competence and compassion and without prejudice.

IV.   Apply our knowledge and skills when needed, though doing so may put us at risk.

V.   Protect the privacy and confidentiality of those for whom we care and breach that confidence only when keeping it would seriously threaten their health and safety or those of others.

VI.   Work freely with colleagues to discover, develop, and promote advances in medicine and public health that ameliorate suffering and contribute to human well-being.

VII.   Educate the public and polity about present and future threats to the health of humanity.

VIII.   Advocate for social, economic, educational, and political changes that ameliorate suffering and contribute to human well-being.

IX.   Teach and mentor those who follow us for they are the future of our caring profession.