New medical ethical standards unveiled

Unused fertilised embryos from the In-Vitro fertilisation (IVF) process can be donated to childless couples, under the terms …

Unused fertilised embryos from the In-Vitro fertilisation (IVF) process can be donated to childless couples, under the terms of new ethical guidelines announced by the Irish Medical Council (IMC).

The sweeping new set of standards expected of doctors also makes provision for referral to complimentary medicine practitioners and imposes a strict code of conduct governing links with the pharmaceutical industry.

But the most controversial move is sure to be the change in the rules governing embryos left over from IVF treatment. To date surplus fertlisied ova not used were "thawed without transfer" if not used within five years or when the woman reached 45 years of age. The thawing meant the embryo could never develop.

But now childless couples can effectively adopt an embryo with the consent of the couple undergoing the IVF.

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The Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviouralso establishes for the first time procedures for complementary medicine such as herbal remedies. They require "doctors who practice or refer patients for complementary therapy [to] be aware of the efficacy and potential side effects of those treatments".

This means when doctors refer patients to "alternative practitioners" in the future, the normal referral procedure such as providing a patient's medical history will be required.

The spate of malpractice claims in recent years has also prompted the IMC to threaten serious sanctions against doctors who fail to report their concerns about a colleague's competence.

The council has also reacted to controversy over the relationship between drug companies and doctors. Doctors have been criticised for accepting often lavish trips abroad paid for by pharmaceutical firms.

The companies say the trips are for medical conferences but there have been claims that junkets and other promotions are designed to influence drugs prescription practice.

The new guidelines now insist that trips and seminars are "non-promotional" or "educational".

The IMC is also advising that prescriptions be electronically printed out because of doctors' poor handwriting.