Diary: A New Hippocratic Oath

5/9/07

After reading about doctors reaping millions over-prescribing anemia drugs, (NY TIMES: Doctors Reap Millions for Anemia Drugs,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/business/09anemia.html?th&emc=th) and the general level of medical corruption and greed, I have written a new Hippocratic Oath.

The injunction to physicians used to be "First, do no harm." The oath approved by the AMA says: "That you will lead your lives and practice your art in uprightness and honor."

The current oath seems to be:

"First, I shall enrich myself. I shall willingly consort with corporate scoundrels and thieves, and will betray my patients and my honor for personal gain. I shall secretly profit by these alliances, while maintaining the public appearance of probity. I shall blind my eyes to the corruption of my colleagues, and will not bear witness against even the most egregious failures of competence and honor. By my complicity I will encourage corruption in high places. I shall disregard the basic tenets of an honorable profession, for there is none to hold me to account. I shall corrupt the law and lawmakers, that I may legally be enriched at the expense of those I have pledged to serve. My left hand shall pander to religious extremists, and pay lip service to the sanctity of life, while my right hand bears false witness in lawsuits brought against those who would poison our food, our water and our air. In a conflict between profit and integrity, profit shall be my guide. I shall die spiritually impoverished but surrounded by the wealth of this world, esteemed by my heirs and honored by my colleagues. And my name shall be remembered on bronze plaques in hospital corridors throughout the land. Amen."

RR