Doctors may accept small parting gifts from grateful patients at the end of treatment, but should never accept expensive gifts. Any sexual relationship with a patient is unethical and illegal. While medicine is traditionally a service rather than commercial enterprise, doctors must maintain professional relationships with the pharmaceutical industry and not accept personal financial gain or benefits from such relationships.
1. ACCEPTING GIFTS FROM PATIENTS:
Sharing of gifts as an expression of gratitude is a
common norm in all societies.
As a safe recommendation to accept parting gifts
at the end of a successful treatment. Expensive
gifts must never be accepted.
SEXUAL BOUNDARIES VOILATION:
Doctors operate in odd hours without clearly define
boundaries of age, gender and social class.
Any type of sexual relationship is unethical and
profited by law.
2. Charges and fee
The medical profession has traditionally been a
service with no primary commercial interests.
Relationship with pharmaceutical
industry:
Doctors and the pharmaceutical industry need to have a
congenial but professional relationship.
•It is unethical to keep this relationship for personal gain,
financial assistance, material benefits for themselves or
their families.
•Prudent use of it to improve health amongst patients
and community could be a ethical use of it.