A Proposed Revision of the ACOEM Code of Ethics

Abstract

The 1993 revision of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Code of Ethics Conduct is insufficiently demanding of physicians in important areas, such as conflicts of interest, reporting unethical or incompentent colleagues, and confidentiality of medical information. The International Commision on Occupational Health's International Code of Ethics, drafted for all occupational health professionals worldwide, does not apply well to American legal and economic relationships. The best way to revise the 1993 ACOEM Code is to incorporate key provisions of the American Occupational Medical Association's 1976 Code. A proposed revised ACOEM Code is presented combining elements of the 1993 ACOEM and 1976 AOMA Codes. The resulting code is a clearer description of individual standards of conduct and group ideals.

Keywords: Medical ethics, code of ethics, occupational medicine, occupational physicians, american college of occupational and environmental medicine, ACOEM

JEL Classification: K31, K32