ABSTRACT
The Hippocratic Oath is foundational for much of Western medical ethics. Its principles form the framework for many of our current ethical standards, including beneficence and nonmaleficence (the duties to do good and avoid or prevent harm), confidentiality, and the prohibition of active euthanasia. Contemporary articulations of these core principles include the Declaration of Geneva (1983), World Medical Association International Code of Medical Ethics (1983), The American College of Physicians Ethics Manual (2005), and The American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics (2004-2005).
