Policy responses and statements
Background: The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international organization representing physicians. It was founded on 17 September 1947, when physicians from 27 different countries met at the First General Assembly of the WMA in Paris. The organization was created to ensure the independence of physicians, and to work for the highest possible standards of ethical behaviour and care by physicians, at all times. This was particularly important to physicians after the Second World War, and therefore the WMA has always been an independent confederation of free professional associations. The purpose of the WMA is to serve humanity by endeavoring to achieve the highest international standards in Medical Education, Medical Science, Medical Art and Medical Ethics, and Health Care for all people in the world. The Declaration of Helsinki (DoH) is the WMA's best-known policy statement. It was first adopted in 1964 and has been amended five times since, most recently in 2000. Notes of clarification were added to para. 29 in 2002 and to para. 30 in 2004. The current (2004) version is the only official one; all previous versions have been replaced and should not be used or cited except for historical purposes. At its May 2007 meeting, the Medical Ethics Committee recommended, subsequently approved by the Council, "That a formal working group (3-5 NMAs) be appointed to review the Declaration of Helsinki…with the goals of a) identifying gaps in the content but avoiding a complete re-opening of the document and b) using the review process to promote the Declaration of Helsinki." Following the meeting, the following NMAs (National Medical Associations) were appointed as members of the working group: Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and Sweden.
Copies of this response are available from: Lesley Lockhart, Tel: 0131 225 7324 ext 608 [1 August 2008]
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