Medical ethics reflected in codes of ethics: the Hippocratic Oath and the 1980 AMA code compared

The Hippocratic Oath and 1980 Code of Ethics of the American Medical Association (AMA) are compared to evaluate the nature of the relationship between students and teachers of medicine and the ethical injunctions that guide practice and make up the essence of the Hippocratic Oath. Such injunctions include the need to take care that harm is not done, to maintain confidentiality, and to avoid acts leading to death. The AMA code is analyzed from the perspective of its injunctions to give competent and compassionate care, to follow the law, to be responsible for guarding patients against incompetent physicians, and to assure that patient care is based on principles of compassion and skill. The centrality of trust in the relationship between patient and doctor as a crucial value in defining a profession is emphasized.