ACP issues ethical guidance for individuals participating in volunteer medical trips
Physicians should advocate for sustainable, mutual benefit; a fair and equitable distribution of resources; and partnerships that respect the individuals and communities served and cultural differences, ACP states in a position paper.
ACP has released a new position paper, “Ethical Obligations Regarding Short-term Global Health Clinical Experiences,” presenting five core positions focused on ethics and the clinical care context. Case scenarios illustrate each position.
ACP advises that in order to fulfill their primary ethical obligation to improve health and well-being during a short-term experience in global health, physicians should advocate for sustainable, mutual benefit; a fair and equitable distribution of resources; and partnerships that respect the individuals and communities served as well as cultural differences. The position paper was published in Annals of Internal Medicine and is available online.