“A physician shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek changes in those requirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient.”
–South Carolina Regulation, Chapter 81-60, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, State Board of Medical Examiners, Principles of Medical Ethics
Having been recently appointed to a four-year term on my state's Board of Medical Examiners, I was provided several documents to brush up on as part of the orientation process. I was already very familiar with our state's statutes and regulations that dictate the scope and practice of medicine in my state. But looking at the document as a whole revealed a section that was new to me, which included a regulation of our state's principles of medical ethics. The seven ethical principles in law were all things that I am familiar with, including concepts such as honesty, compassion, respect for patient rights,...
