After the controversy following the suggestion of the replacement of long-established Hippocratic Oath by Charak Shapath in some medical colleges, the NMC) has stepped in with a draft of regulations for the professional conduct of doctors, eliminating the latter.
The Indian apex medical body NMC has said in the new Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Misconduct) Regulations 2022 that the medical professionals in the country need to take the Declaration of Geneva 2017 called 'The Physician's Pledge'.
The suggestion from NMC to replace the Hippocratic Oath with the Charak Shapath months back had sparked severe criticism from the medical fraternity.
The Physician's Pledge is a part of the World Medical Association Declaration of Geneva which was adopted by the Second General Assembly of WMA in September 1948.
The NMC draft regulations, released on May 23, mention this Physician's Pledge as an inclusion at the end of its 14-point code of ethics. The Pledge reads, "as a member of the medical profession, I solemnly Pledge to dedicate my life to the service of humanity". The Physician's Pledge has 14 more points.
The NMC has posted the draft Registered Medical Practitioners (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2022 for comments from the public, experts and stakeholders.
(With inputs from IANS)
