[Between obligation and duty--on deontological codes in medical professions]

Abstract

The social role of medical occupations is changing, along with their professional ethics. It could be argued that the role of ethical regulation (ethical codes) in these professions is diminishing. It could be due to ethical standards increasingly taking on character of legal norms. The notion of "moral obligation" is thus subject to transformation, as it progressively denotes legal duty, i.e., coercion. Legal validity of ethical standards is defined by lawyers. The continual tendency of occupational ethics to resemble rules of law may thus question the effect of ethical regulation in medical professions. The latter are performed not only because of official or economical compulsion but also because of moral obligation and the medic's desire to do well. The standing of occupational ethics in the work ofphysician, nurse and pharmacist is a prerequisite for maintaining the high social prestige of these professions.