Aims and Objectives:

To promote high standards of professional practice and ethics through training, education and monitoring of inappropriate behaviour by members of the College.

a) Practise acupuncture within the framework of western scientific medical practice to the best of your ability and within the limits of your expertise.

b) Continue self education, striving to improve your standard of medical care.

c) Maintain appropriate medical records.

a) Ensure your professional conduct is above reproach.

b) Treat all patients with compassion and respect for human dignity.

a) Respect the patient’s right to choose their doctor freely, to accept, or reject advice and to make their own decisions about treatment.

b) In line with these principles, inform and advise the patient about your assessment of their condition, the treatment options available, the likely benefits and risks of your proposed treatment and the risks of not having

treatment.

c) Maintain strict confidentiality and only divulge clinical details with the patient’s permission or under legal compulsion to do so.

d) Do not refer patients to institutions or services in which you have a financial interest, without full disclosure of such interest.

e) Do not sexually exploit any of your patients.

a) Where possible accept responsibility to advance medical progress by participating in properly structured research designed to advance knowledge of acupuncture.

b) Before participating in such research, ensure that a responsible independent committee has approved the scientific and ethical merit of the proposed research.

c) Ensure that the patients have been fully informed and have given written consent.

d) Ensure that the well being of the subject takes precedence over the interest of science and society.

e) Recognise that the subjects have the right to withdraw from a study at any time.

f) Ensure that research results are sent to appropriate peer groups, the A.M.A.C. research committee and to professional journals before communication with the public.

a) Pass on your professional knowledge and skill to colleagues and students.

b) When using patients for demonstrations or clinical teaching, always explain the nature of the teaching, always seek and obtain consent.

c) In any such teaching exercise, ensure that the patient is treated with dignity and respect, ensure that your management is commensurate with best practice.

a) Be aware that your conduct affects your reputation as well as that of the College and the medical profession.

b) Refrain from making comments which may needlessly damage the reputation of a colleague.

c) Report to the A.M.A.C. ethics committee any unethical or unprofessional conduct by another member of the College.

Do not enter into any contract with any individual or organisation which may diminish you or your patient’s autonomy or your colleagues’ professional integrity.

a) Do not advertise professional services or make professional announcements unless the chief purpose of the notice is to present information reasonably needed by any patient or colleague in order to make an informed decision about the appropriateness and availability of your medical services.

b) Ensure that any announcement or advertisement directed towards patients or colleagues is demonstrably true in all respects, does not contain any testimonial or endorsement of your clinical skills, does not disparage your colleagues and is not likely to bring the profession into disrepute.

c) Ensure that any therapeutic or diagnostic advance is described and examined through professional channels and if proven beneficial, is made available to your medical colleagues.

a) Obtain the opinion of an appropriate colleague acceptable to your patient if diagnosis or treatment is difficult or obscure, or in response to a reasonable request by your patient.

b) When referring patients, make available to your colleagues all relevant information.

c) When an opinion has been requested by a colleague, report your findings and opinion in detail and in writing.

d) If in your assessment of a patient you consider another modality of treatment other than acupuncture is appropriate, then refer the patient to a practitioner trained in that modality if you do not consider yourself capable of carrying out such treatment.

a) Strive to improve the standard and quality of medical acupuncture services in the community.

b) When providing information to the public, recognise your responsibility to give the generally held opinions in a form that is reasonably understood. When presenting any personal opinion which is contrary to the generally held opinion of the profession or the College, clearly indicate that this is the case.

Consists of all state presidents with a chairperson elected at each annual general meeting. In the event of the chairperson resigning during the interim period, his or her replacement will be appointed by the Federal executive.

a) Any breaches of the ethics code or inappropriate behaviour by a member should be reported in writing to the chairperson who will use his or her discretion to call a meeting of the ethics committee, or wait until the next AGM.

b) The Ethics committee may recommend in each case it considers, one of the

following:

c) Each recommendation is to be considered by the Federal Executive, which will ratify or vary the final outcome.

d) An expelled member shall, notwithstanding that he has ceased to be a member, be liable to pay all sums due to the College at the time of his expulsion.

e) The committee may have the option to invite the accused member to the hearing. The member may bring another College member for support but may not bring a legal practitioner.