International Oaths and Declarations Resources

The Hippocratic Oath (original and revised versions)

The Hippocratic Oath, an oath traditionally taken by medics at the start of their careers promising to behaviour ethically. It can be traced back to 500 BCE Greece. Medical schools today often include their own modern version of the oath when medical students graduate.

Declaration of Codoba (adopted by the 71st World Medical Association (WMA)General Assembly in Corboda Spain in 2020

The Declaration of Codoba contains a list of recommendations for the optimum relationship between physicians and their patients. In its preamble it says the relationship between a physician and patient ‘represents a privileged bond between a patient and physician based on trust. It is a space of creativity where information, feelings, visions, help and support are exchanged.’

Declaration on Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide, adopted by the 70th WMA General Assembly in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2019

In this Declaration the WMA state their strong commitment to the principles of medical ethics and their utmost respect for human life, as a result of which, the WMA state, they are firmly opposed to euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

Declaration of Geneva (as amended by 68th WMA General Assembly, Chicago, USA 2017)

The Declaration of Geneva is often referred to as the modern day Hippocratic Oath. It was first adopted at the World Medical Association’s (WMA) second General Assembly, in Geneva in 1947 and has been updated several times since.

The WMA advise that the Declaration of Geneva should not be read alone, but in conjunction with the WMA’s International Code of Medical Ethics, first adopted at the third General Assembly of the WMA in London, England in 1949 and updated several times since, most recently in https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-tokyo-guidelines-for-physicians-concerning-torture-and-other-cruel-inhuman-or-degrading-treatment-or-punishment-in-relation-to-detention-and-imprisonment/2006 at their 57th General Assembly in Pilanesburg, South Africa.

The Declaration of Helsinki ( as amended by the 64th WMA General Assembly, Fortaleza, Brazil in 2013)

The Declaration of Helsinki is an international statement of ethical principles for medical research including human subjects, including research on identifiable human material and data. It was first adopted by the 18th WMA General Assembly, in Helsinki, Finland in 1964.

Declaration of Tokyo (as amended by the 67th WMA General Assembly, Taipei, Taiwan, 2016)

The Declaration of Tokyo is an international guideline for physicians concerning the treatment and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in relation to detention and imprisonment. It was originally  adopted by the 27th WMA General Assembly in Tokyo, Japan in 1975.

The preamble goes on to reference some of the threats to this relationship stating ‘Today the patient-physician relationship is frequently under threat from influence both within and outside health care systems. In some countries and health care systems, these influences risk alienating physicians from their patients and potentially harming patients‘. Some of the risks are then listed.

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