Meaning in Medical Ethics

Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that applies values to the practice of clinical medicine and to scientific research. They are based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the event that they are in conflict or are confused. The values include: beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice, veracity, dignity. The code of ethics is based on the understanding of the goals of medicine dating back to the 5th century B.C. and Hippocrates. By 1847, the code of ethics was based greatly on Thomas Percival's work. He was an English physician-philosopher and wrote a code of medical ethics for hospitals in 1803.