Chapter VII: Ethics

Once he has agreed to respond to a request, the doctor undertakes to personally provide the patient with care that is conscientious, dedicated and based on acquired scientific data, calling on the help of competent third parties where necessary.

The doctor must always make his diagnosis with the utmost care, devoting the necessary time to it, using as far as possible the most appropriate scientific methods and, if necessary, appropriate assistance.

The doctor must formulate his prescriptions with all the necessary clarity, ensure that they are understood by the patient and those around him, and endeavour to ensure that they are carried out correctly.

The doctor owes the person he is examining, treating or advising fair, clear and appropriate information about his condition and the investigations and care he is proposing. Throughout the course of the illness, he will take account of the patient’s personality in his explanations and ensure that they are understood. However, when a person asks to be kept in the dark about a diagnosis or prognosis, his or her wishes…

The consent of the person being examined or treated must be sought in all cases. If the patient, in a condition to express his wishes, refuses the proposed investigations or treatment, the doctor must respect this refusal after informing the patient of the consequences. If the patient is incapable of expressing his wishes, the doctor may not intervene unless the trusted support person or, failing this, the family or a…

In all circumstances, the doctor must endeavour to relieve the patient’s suffering by means appropriate to his condition and provide moral support. He must refrain from any unreasonable obstinacy and may refrain from undertaking or continuing treatment that appears unnecessary, disproportionate or that has no other effect than the artificial maintenance of life.