Ethics and Boundaries

By Carolin Spice, MS-CIPT, RHIC, CPHQ

First, do no harm, this is the sacred oath of every health professional. 

Health professionals serve the public good by ensuring our health and well-being.  Though sometimes the treatment feels worse than the disease. But their profession is steeped in scientific rigor and ethical consent guided by the Declaration of Helsinki. I am grateful to the professional scientists and citizen scientists (the consenting patients) who work tirelessly to identify and advance treatments for the public good.

Through the contributions of our citizen scientists, people like you and me, we have helped to find cancer treatments for children, identified opportunities to prevent illness in our elderly, and uncovered the potential to enhance well-being for all.  A Greek proverb states that a society grows great when our elders plant trees whose shade they may never enjoy.  As a mother of a young child, I live this proverb every day. And as a patient, I’m proud to partner with my health professionals to ensure my own well-being.  The Golden Rule states to do unto others as you would have them do unto you; in partnering, we work together for my own benefit and for the greater good.