Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.09.1977, Page 29

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ainity over the most appropriate criteria for the detemination
of death;
4. Insisting that no other interest may be considered in esta-
blishing the moment of death than those of the dying person.
5. Invites the responsible bodies in the medical profession in
the member states to examine critically the criteria upon which
decisions are currently based with respect to the initiation of
reanimation procedures and the placing of patients into longterm
care requiring artificial means of sustaining life;
6. Invites the European Office of the World Health Organisation
to examine the criteria for the detemination of death existing
in the various European countries, in the light of current medical
knowledge and techniques, and to make proposals for their harmo-
nisation in a way which will be universally applicable not only
in hospitals, but in general medical practice.
DECLARATION OF HAWAII (Draft 1977)
Ever since the dawn of culture ethics has been an essential
part of the healing art. Conflicting loyalities for physicians in
contemporary society, the delicate nature of the therapist-patient
relationship, and the possibility of abuses of psychiatric con-
cepts, knowledge and technology in actions contrary to the laws
humanity, all make high ethical standards more necessary than
ever for those practising the art and science of psychiatry.
As a practitioner of medicine and a member of society, the
• svchiatris* i' has to consider the ethical implications specific to
psychiatry as well as the ethical demands on all physicians and
Uifc societal :uties of every iren and woman.
A Keen conscience and personal judgement are essential for ethi-
cal behaviour. Nevertheless to clarify the profession's ethical
implications and to guide individual psychiatrists and help form
their consciences, written rules are needed.
Therefore, the General Assembly of the WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSO-
CIATION has laid down the following ethical guidelines for psy-
ciatrists all over the world.
1. The aim of psychiatry is to promote health and personal auto-
nomy and growth. To the best of his or her ability, consistent
with accepted scientific and ethical principles, the psychiatrist
shall serve the best interests of the patient and be also con-
cemed for the common good and a just ailocation of health re-
sources.
To fulfill these aims requires continuous research and con-
tinual education of health care personnel, patients and the public.