Medical ethics facts for kids

A 12th-century Byzantine manuscript of the Hippocratic Oath

Medical ethics are the important rules that doctors follow. These rules help doctors know how to treat patients fairly and kindly.

One of the first sets of these rules was the Hippocratic Oath. An oath is a special promise. People believe the famous doctor Hippocrates wrote it, but he probably did not.

Main Ideas in Medical Ethics

There are six main ideas, or principles, in medical ethics:

• Beneficence: Doctors must always try to do what is good for their patients. They should help people get better.
• Non-maleficence: Doctors must never try to hurt their patients. They should avoid causing harm.
• Autonomy: Patients have the right to make their own choices about their medical care. They can say "yes" or "no" to treatments.
• Justice: This idea is about being fair when giving out medicines and care. It means making sure everyone has a fair chance to get the help they need.
• Dignity: Both patients and doctors deserve respect as people. This means treating everyone with honor and understanding.
• Truthfulness: Doctors must always tell their patients the truth. Being honest helps patients make good decisions.

Common Medical Ethics Questions

Doctors often face difficult choices. Here are some questions that medical ethics helps answer:

• If there is not enough medicine for everyone who needs it, who should get it?
• What should a doctor do if a baby is very sick and the parents do not want the baby to get help?
• If a patient is badly hurt and will die soon, and they ask, "Am I going to die?", what should the doctor say?

Other Helpful Pages

• Conflict of interest
• Informed consent

Images for kids

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  A Taoist symbol showing Yin and Yang

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  An old advertisement for Camel cigarettes from the 1940s

See also

In Spanish: Ética médica para niños