A Formula for Today from the Hippocratic Oath
Value of Life Committee, Inc.
source : The National Catholic Bioethics Center.
language original: English.
Copyright of the original English: The National Catholic Center.
Spanish translation: Gonzalo Herranz.
Previous versions: None.
Copyright of the Spanish translation: Gonzalo Herranz.
Checked on 15 January 2002.
A Formula for Today from the Hippocratic Oath
I SWEAR in the presence of the Almighty and before my family, my teachers and my colleagues that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and each of its Clauses:
I WILL have the same affection for all those who have taught me this art as for my parents, and with their same spirit and submission I will impart to others the knowledge of the medical art. I will diligently keep up to date with the progress of Medicine. Without discrimination and in so far as this does not jeopardise the care I owe to my other patients, I will treat all who seek my services and will seek, when the benefit of my patient so requires, the committee of more competent colleagues.
I WILL follow the method of treatment which, according to my ability and judgement, seems to me to be best for the benefit of my patient, and I will refrain from any harmful or malicious action. I will never prescribe or administer to any patient, even at his request, a medicine in lethal dosage, and I will never advise any such thing; nor will I do anything, by act or omission, with the direct and deliberate purpose intent to end a human life. I will have the utmost respect for all human life from the moment of fertilisation to the moment of natural death, and I will reject abortion which intentionally destroys a unique and unrepeatable human life.
WITH PURITY, HOLINESS AND BENEFIT I will conduct my life and practice my art. Unless necessary for the prudent correction of imminent danger, I will never treat my patients or do any research on any human being without the valid informed consent of the subject or his or her relevant legal guardian, provided that the research is for the purpose of improving the health of that individual. Wherever I go to treat patients, I will go for their benefit, I will refrain from any malicious or abusive wilful action, and I will never seduce any patient.
ANYTHING that I may see or hear about the lives of my patients, whether or not in connection with my professional internship , and which should not be divulged, I will not tell anyone, knowing that I must keep it secret.
SO LONG AS I KEEP this Oath inviolate, may I be granted to enjoy life, and to practise the art and science of Medicine with the blessing of the Almighty and the respect of my colleagues and society. But should I break and violate this Oath, may the contrary be my fate.
E. Joanne Angelo, M.D.
Henry G. Armitage, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Anne E. Bannon, M.D.
Prof. Rabbi J. David Bleich, Ph.D.
Prof. Harold O. J. Brown, Ph.D.
Matthew Bulfin, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
William Colliton, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Prof. John Jefferson Davis, Ph.D.
Prof. Patrick Derr, Ph.D.
Eugene Diamond, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Mark Druffner, M.D.
Prof. Arthur J. Dyck
Richard Fenigsen, M.D.
Albert E. Gunn, M.D.
Curt Harris, M.D., J.D.
Gloria V. Heffernan, M.D.
Helen Jackson, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Prof. C. Ward Kischer, Ph.D.
C. Everett Koop, M.D.
Micheline Mathews-Roth, M.D.
Prof. William May, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Ralph Miech, M.D., Ph.D.
Gertrude H. Murphy, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Prof. J. Robert Nelson
Samuel Nigro, M.D.
Robert Nixon, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Prof. Edmund Pellegrino, M.D.
Francis Rockett, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Msgr. William Smith, S.T.D.
Joseph R. Stanton, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Leonie S. Watson, M.D.
Richard A. Watson, M.D.
John J. C. Wilke, M.D.
Prof. George H. Williams
The 1995 Restatement of The Oath of Hippocrates
I SWEAR in the presence of the Almighty and before my family, my teachers, and my peers that according to my ability and judgment I will keep this Oath and Stipulation:
TO RECKON all who have taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents and in the same spirit and dedication to impart a knowledge of the art of medicine to others. I will continue with diligence to keep abreast of advances in medicine. I will treat without exception all who seek my ministrations, so long as the treatment of others is not compromised thereby, and I will seek the counsel of particularly skilled physicians where indicated for the benefit of my patient.
I WILL FOLLOW that method of treatment which according to my ability and judgment I consider for the benefit of my patient and abstain from whatever is harmful or mischievous. I will neither prescribe nor administer a lethal dose of medicine to any patient even if asked nor counsel any such thing nor perform act or omission with direct intent deliberately to end a human life. I will maintain the utmost respect for every human life from fertilization to natural death and reject abortion that deliberately takes a unique human life.
WITH PURITY, HOLINESS, AND BENEFICENCE I will pass my life and practice my art. Except for the prudent correction of an imminent danger, I will neither treat any patient nor carry out any research on any human being without the valid informed consent of the subject or the appropriate legal protector thereof, understanding that research must have as its purpose the furtherance of the health of that individual. Into whatever patient setting I enter, I will go for the benefit of the sick and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief or corruption and further from the seduction of any patient.
WHATEVER IN CONNECTION with my professional practice or not in connection with it I may see or hear in the lives of my patients which ought not be spoken abroad I will not divulge, reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
WHILE I CONTINUE to keep this Oath unviolated may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art and science of medicine with the blessing of the Almighty and respected by my peers and society, but should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.
E. Joanne Angelo, M.D.
Henry G. Armitage, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Anne E. Bannon, M.D.
Prof. Rabbi J. David Bleich, Ph.D.
Prof. Harold O. J. Brown, Ph.D.
Matthew Bulfin, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
William Colliton, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Prof. John Jefferson Davis, Ph.D.
Prof. Patrick Derr, Ph.D.
Eugene Diamond, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Mark Druffner, M.D.
Prof. Arthur J. Dyck
Richard Fenigsen, M.D.
Albert E. Gunn, M.D.
Curt Harris, M.D., J.D.
Gloria V. Heffernan, M.D.
Helen Jackson, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Prof. C. Ward Kischer, Ph.D.
C. Everett Koop, M.D.
Micheline Mathews-Roth, M.D.
Prof. William May, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. Ralph Miech, M.D., Ph.D.
Gertrude H. Murphy, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Prof. J. Robert Nelson
Samuel Nigro, M.D.
Robert Nixon, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Prof. Edmund Pellegrino, M.D.
Francis Rockett, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Msgr. William Smith, S.T.D.
Joseph R. Stanton, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Leonie S. Watson, M.D.
Richard A. Watson, M.D.
John J. C. Wilke, M.D.
Prof. George H. Williams