Restatement of the Oath of Hippocrates

by Dr. Joseph R. Stanton

Description

The 1995 Restatement of The Oath of Hippocrates in circa 400 B.C. as introduced by The Value of Life Committee, Inc., June, 1995. A Spanish translation is attached.

Publisher & Date

The National Catholic Bioethics Center, June 1995

I swear in the presence of the Almighty and before my family, my teachers and my peers that according to my ability and judgment I will keep this Oath and Stipulation:

To reckon all who have taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents and in the same spirit and dedication to impart a knowledge of the art of medicine to others. I will continue with diligence to keep abreast of advances in medicine. I will treat without exception all who seek my ministrations, so long as the treatment of others is not compromised thereby, and I will seek the counsel of particularly skilled physicians where indicated for the benefit of my patient.

I will follow that method of treatment which according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patient and abstain from whatever is harmful or mischievous. I will neither prescribe nor administer a lethal dose of medicine to any patient even if asked nor counsel any such thing nor perform act or omission with direct intent deliberately to end a human life. I will maintain the utmost respect for every human life from fertilization to natural death and reject abortion that deliberately takes a unique human life.

With purity, holiness and beneficence I will pass my life and practice my art. Except for the prudent correction of an imminent danger, I will neither treat any patient nor carry out any research on any human being without the valid informed consent of the subject or the appropriate legal protector thereof, understanding that research must have as its purpose the furtherance of the health of that individual. Into whatever patient setting I enter, I will go for the benefit of the sick and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief or corruption and further from the seduction of any patient.

Whatever in connection with my professional practice or not in connection with it I may see or hear in the lives of my patients which ought not be spoken abroad I will not divulge, reckoning that all such should be kept secret.

While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art and science of medicine with the blessing of the Almighty and respected by my peers and society, but should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.


A copy of The 1995 Restatment of the Hippocratic Oath in hand-drawn calligraphy, on 20" high parchment may be ordered from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, 159 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02135—Email: [email protected]—Call: 1 (617) 787-1900—Fax: 1 (617) 787-4900

© National Catholic Bioethics Center

Una formula para hoy del Juramento de Hipocrates

YO JURO en la presencia del Todopoderoso y delante de mi familia, mis maestros y mis colegas que, segun mi capacidad y mi juicio, guardare este Juramento y cada una de sus Clausulas:

TENDRE a todos los que me han ensenado este arte el mismo afecto que a mis padres, y con su mismo espiritu y entrega impartire a otros el conocimiento del arte medico. Con diligencia seguire al dia los avances de la Medicina. Sin discriminacion y en la medida en que ello no ponga en peligro la atencion que debo a mis otros pacientes, tratare a todos los que soliciten mis servicios y buscare, cuando asi lo requiera el beneficio de mi paciente, buscare el consejo de colegas mas competentes.

SEQUIRE el metodo de tratamiento que, segun mi capacidad y juicio, me parezca mejor para beneficio de mi paciente, y me abstendre de toda accion danosa o malintencionada. Nunca prescribire ni administrare a ningun paciente, aun cuando me lo pidiere, una medicina en dosis letal, y nunca aconsejare cosa semejante; ni hare nada, por accion u omision, con el proposito directo y deliberado de acabar con una vida humana. Tendre el maximo respeto a toda vida humana desde el momento de la fecundacion hasta el de la muerte natural, y rechazare el aborto que destruye intencionadamente una vida humana unica e irrepetible.

CON PUREZA, SANTIDAD Y BENEFICENCIA dirigire mi vida y practicare mi arte. A no ser que sea necesario para la prudente correccion de un peligro inminente, nunca tratare a mis pacientes ni hare ninguna investigacion sobre ningun ser humano sin el valido consentimiento informado del sujeto o de su protector legal pertinente, con tal que la investigacion tenga por finalidad la mejora de la salud de ese individuo. A cualquier lugar al que vaya a atender a los pacientes, ire para beneficio de ellos, me abstendre de toda accion voluntaria maliciosa o abusiva, y jamas seducire a ningun paciente.

TODO LO QUE, CON OCASION de mi practica profesional o sin relacion con ella, pueda ver u oir de la vida de mis pacientes y que no deba ser divulgado, no lo dire a nadie, consciente de que de todo ello debere guardar secreto.

MIENTRAS GUARDE inviolado este Juramento, que se me conceda disfrutar de vida, y practicar el arte y la ciencia de la Medicina con la bendicion del Todopoderoso y el respeto de mis colegas y de la sociedad. Pero si quebrantara y violara este Juramento, que lo contrario sea mi destino.

This item 749 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org