Islamabad: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has barred doctors and dentists from accepting gifts, financial benefits or sponsorship and enjoying foreign trips with families on the expense from the pharmaceutical companies and strictly prohibited romantic or sexual relationships with patients under a newly enforced Code of Ethics, warning that violations could lead to suspension or permanent deregistration.
The regulator said the revised ethical framework, approved after nearly two years of review, introduces strict standards governing professional conduct, patient rights and transparency in medical practice across the country.
Officials said any doctor found exploiting patients, breaching professional boundaries, accepting inducements that influence treatment decisions or engaging in unethical conduct could face disciplinary action including warnings, suspension of license or removal from the PM&DC register.
PM&DC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj said the new code was designed to strengthen patient safety and restore public trust in the medical profession by clearly defining ethical obligations of healthcare providers.
He said adherence to professional ethics was the foundation of safe and high-quality healthcare and emphasized that doctors must maintain integrity, honesty and accountability in their dealings with patients.
Under the revised guidelines, doctors have been explicitly prohibited from accepting gifts, sponsorship, hospitality or any other financial benefits that could influence their clinical judgment or secure favourable treatment for pharmaceutical companies or other entities.
The code states that medical practitioners must avoid conflicts of interest and ensure that prescribing decisions are based solely on the best interests of patients rather than financial incentives or commercial considerations.
The council has also declared romantic or sexual relationships between doctors and patients unethical, noting that such relationships abuse the power imbalance inherent in the doctor patient relationship and can compromise professional judgment.
The guidelines warn that any form of harassment, exploitation or abuse of authority within the doctor patient relationship will be treated as serious professional misconduct.
The revised code also requires doctors to treat patients with dignity and respect, protect their privacy and confidentiality and ensure that patients receive clear and understandable information about their medical condition and treatment options.
Doctors must involve patients in decisions about their care and respect their right to refuse treatment or seek a second opinion.
The PM&DC has emphasized that medical practitioners are personally accountable for their professional decisions and must always be prepared to explain and justify their actions if questioned by patients, regulators or courts.
Another important provision requires doctors to maintain accurate and legible medical records documenting diagnoses, investigations, treatment decisions and information provided to patients.
Officials said failure to maintain proper records or misrepresentation of medical information may also be treated as professional misconduct.
The revised code also sets clear limits on advertising and social media use by healthcare providers.
Doctors have been prohibited from making exaggerated claims about the quality of their services, guaranteeing cures or comparing themselves with other practitioners in advertisements.
They are also barred from sharing identifiable patient photographs or videos without written consent, particularly on social media platforms.
The ethical framework also covers medical research, requiring doctors involved in clinical studies to obtain approval from institutional review boards or ethics committees before enrolling human participants.
Researchers must obtain informed consent from participants, disclose funding sources and comply with international standards of good clinical practice.
Patients and their families have also been given the right to file complaints against doctors regarding treatment, professional conduct or ethical violations.
Such complaints will be investigated by the PM&DC disciplinary committee which may recommend penalties ranging from warnings to suspension or permanent removal from the medical register.
Officials said the code applies to all registered medical and dental practitioners, including consultants, trainees, faculty members and healthcare professionals working in institutions recognized by the PM&DC.
Doctors will also be required to formally acknowledge and sign the Code of Ethics at the time of registration confirming their commitment to comply with the professional standards governing medical practice.
The council said the revised code will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains aligned with evolving medical practices and international ethical standards.
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