Hippocratic Oath

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this oath:

I will respect the scientific achievements of those physicians in whose footsteps I will walk and will happily share this knowledge, as if it were my own, with those who will follow.

I will use, for the good of the sick, all the means that are necessary, avoiding every pitfall of overmedication and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is an art of medicine, as well as its science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding can be worth more than the surgeon's scalpel or the pharmacist's medicine.

I will not be ashamed to say "I don't know," nor will I hesitate to call on my colleagues when someone else's skills are needed for the patient's recovery.

I will respect the privacy of patients, so that the world does not learn of the problems they have entrusted to me. I will act especially carefully when it comes to life or death. If I am given the opportunity to save a life; thank you. But it may be within my power to take someone's life; this fearful responsibility must be faced with humility and awareness of my weakness. Above all, I must not play the role of God.

I will remember that I am not curing a temperature chart or a cancerous growth, but a sick human being whose illness may affect his economic stability and his family. My responsibility also includes these related problems, if I am to care properly for the sick.

I will prevent illness, whenever possible, because prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all human beings as my brothers; those healthy in body and mind, as well as the sick.

If I do not break this oath, may I enjoy life and the art of medicine, respected while I live and remembered with compassion afterwards. I hope to always act in this way, in order to preserve the best traditions of my profession and to experience the joy of healing those who will seek my help for a long time.

Written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, USA
Translated by Prof. Xheladin Draçini