Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

kcniv · Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Posts: 52

CODE OF ETHICS FOR VETERINARIANS

The honour and dignity of the veterinary profession lie in the observance of a just and reasonable Code of Ethics set forth as a guide to veterinarians. The purpose of the Code is to assure the community the best service of which veterinarians are capable and to promote co-operation within the ranks of the profession. In addition, exemplary professional conduct not only upholds honour and dignity, but also enlarges our sphere of usefulness, exalts our social standards and promotes the science we cultivate.

Fundamentally, there are four (4) guiding principles for the veterinarians:

(a) To pursue the work of his profession with uprightness of conduct.

(b) To serve the community to the utmost of his ability.

(c) To constantly endeavour to ensure the welfare of animals committed to his care.

(d) To seek no personal advantage at the expense of his professional colleagues.

It is not possible to cover the entire field of veterinary medical ethics in this Code. Professional life is too complex to classify one's duties and obligations to his clients, colleagues and fellow citizens into a set of rules. However, it is the solemn duty of all veterinarians to deport themselves in accordance with the spirit of this Code.

1 A veterinarian should conduct himself in relation to the public, his colleagues and their patients, and the allied professions, so as to merit their full confidence and respect.

1.1 Conduct characterising the personal behaviour of a professional is expected of all veterinarians.

No member shall belittle or injure the professional standing of another member of the profession or unnecessarily condemn the character of his professional acts.

1.2 Veterinarians shall avoid the impropriety of employing methods to attract public attention or boast of possessing superior knowledge or skill in the treatment or prevention of any disease.

1.3 It is unethical to guarantee a cure.

2 A veterinarian may choose whom he will serve. Once he has undertaken care of a patient he must not neglect it. However, in an emergency he should render service to the best of his ability. He shall not solicit clients.

2.1 Advertising

The necessity and right of the individual to bring before the public notice of the fact that veterinary services are available from the veterinarian at a given place and the scope of these services are recognised. The guiding principle of advertising by a member of the profession is that such advertising shall not be detrimental to his colleagues, nor of such a nature as to lower the status of the profession in the eyes of the public. However, a veterinarian may inform his/her clients of the facilities available within his/her practice.

Objectionable Advertising consists of :

2.1.1 Advertising personal superiority over one's colleagues.

2.1.2 Advertising secret remedies or exclusive methods.

2.1.3 Advertising case reports, allegedly unintentional.

2.1.4 Advertising hospital and office equipment and the special service rendered therewith.

2.1.5 Advertising the building or occupation of a new hospital as an unsolicited news item of the local press may be considered unavoidable and unobjectionable. Solicited and repeated publicity of this class is, however, frowned upon.

2.2 Newspapers

2.2.1 An advertisement may be inserted limited to the announcement of the commencement, discontinuance, resumption, removal, sale or purchase of a practice, as the case may be. The wordings of the advertisement shall be limited to the names, degrees and address of the veterinarian, the title of "veterinary surgeon" or any like title to indicate the type of practice conducted, his hours of consultation and telephone number. Any such advertisement shall not appear more than once in any one issue of a newspaper or journal and shall be limited to two issues of the newspaper or journal.

2.2.2 Articles on professional subjects may be published in the Press, signed only with the name, title and degree of the veterinarian, provided they contain no advertising matter which would be to the advantage of the author. Articles published by a paper subsequent to an interview with a reporter should as far as possible be governed by the same principles as those set out regarding signed articles.

2.3 Public Lectures, Television & Radio Broadcasts

These should be subject to the same provisions as are laid down for newspaper articles, that is only the name, degree and titles should be mentioned and no advertising matter included which is to the personal advantage of the speaker.

2.4 Trade Advertisement

No veterinarian shall give any report upon any appliance or drug for any proprietor, distributor or vendor, for publication with his name attached.

2.5 Name Plates and Professional Signs.

Display signs of reasonable size and dimensions on veterinary clinics or hospitals are not regarded as objectionable, provided they do not announce special services.

Display signs should be conservative and in keeping with the surrounding so as to enhance the appearance.

2.6 Directory Listings

A veterinarian may list his name, degree, title together with the address of his residence or his premises at which he is in daily or periodic attendance in the official telephone directory in ordinary type and setting.

In principle, this ruling is intended to make the listing of names in such a way as to give all of them identical visual prominence.

2.7 Professional Stationery

The letterhead of a professional man should be modest, announcing only name, title, address, telephone number and office hours.

In view of the degree of specialisation in veterinary practice in recent years, a veterinarian may announce on his cards and letterheads that his practice is limited to treatment of diseases of small animals, poultry, pigs or large animals.

2.8 Emergency Service

When called in an emergency as a substitute for a fellow practitioner in his absence, it is the veterinarian's duty to render the necessary service and then turn the patient over to his colleague upon his return.

3 A veterinarian should strive continually to improve veterinary knowledge and skill, making available to his colleagues the benefit of his professional attainments and seeking through consultation, assistance of others when it appears that the quality of service may be enhanced thereby.

3.1 Consultation and Referrals

When a second opinion is discussed by a practitioner or his client it is the duty of the practitioner, with the client's consent, to arrange for consultation with, or referral to, an appropriate colleague.

3.1.1 Definitions

Consultation - A deliberation between two or more veterinarians concerning the diagnosis of a patient’s disease and the management of the case. Transfer of responsibility does not occur.

3.1.2 Referral Procedure:

Communication between veterinarians should be by letter, telephone, or direct contact. The most appropriate method of communication should be determined by the parties involved. By whatever means of communication, the attending veterinarian should make it clear that he is requesting referral, not consultation.

The attending veterinarian should provide the receiving veterinarian with all the appropriate information pertinent to the case. The receiving veterinarian should have such information by the time the patient arrives.

When the receiving veterinarian has examined the patient and made definite findings, he should promptly report his findings to the attending veterinarian.

Immediately upon discharging the patient, the receiving veterinarian should send the attending veterinarian a detailed report (preferably written) and advise him as to continuing care of the patient.

The receiving veterinarian should inform the client that he will not treat the patient for any ailment other than that involved in the referral, except in emergencies or upon consultation with the veterinarian who referred the patient.

Each veterinarian involved will collect his own fee from the client.

It is unethical for a veterinarian to accept or pay a fee in connection with referrals.

3.1.3 Consultation Procedure:

If possible, a consultant should examine the patient in the presence of the practitioner and if he disagrees with the diagnosis or treatment he should confer with the practitioner privately. Any statement, which the consultant may make to a client, should be made in the practitioner’s hearing, if present. Consultants must be especially careful to avoid discrediting a practitioner in the eyes of his client. Consultants should not revisit the client or communicate directly with him without the knowledge of the practitioner. In no instance shall a consultant take charge of a case without the consent of all concerned, nor should he receive or give any commission or arrange for any sharing of fees with the member by whom he was called in consultation. His account should be rendered to the practitioner and not to the client.

Consultation should be conducted in such a spirit of professional co-operation between consultant and attending veterinarian as to assure the client’s confidence in veterinary medicine.

4 A veterinarian should not employ his professional knowledge and attainments nor dispose of his services under terms and conditions which tend to interfere with the free exercise of his judgement and skill or tend to cause a deterioration of the quality of veterinary service.

4.1 Alliance with Unqualified persons

No veterinarian should aid or countenance veterinary practice by an unregistered person or allow his name or qualifications to be used for such purposes.

He should not meet an unqualified person in consultation nor permit any unqualified employee to diagnose disease or give any medical or surgical treatment except under his direction. An unqualified assistant should be under the personal supervision of the veterinarian and may not make visits, attend or treat cases requiring professional discretion or skill.

4.2 Commercial enterprises

A veterinarian who engages in a commercial enterprise that directly concerns or indirectly concerns animal health and production must conduct the business in such a manner that veterinary ethical standards are maintained. Sale of animal remedies from professional rooms shall not be conducted in any way that may lower the status of the profession. No advertising used in the conduct of the trading business shall in any way be associated with the veterinary practice or be designed to attract clients to the veterinary practice.

(a) A veterinarian who is in practice or his lay assistant may sell drugs or animal remedies of recognised value or instruments or medicated food from the veterinarian's professional rooms providing that:

i) The veterinarian has attended the animal or animals in question; or

ii) The owner of the animal or animals is a bona fide client in the sense that the veterinarian has visited the property or has examined animals from that property; or

iii) The veterinarian has discussed the case with owner and having regard to all known circumstances, is reasonably satisfied that the product or products supplied will be used correctly and are well suited for the purpose.

iv) The products sold are not displayed in the professional rooms or advertised in anyway by the veterinarian.

(b) A veterinarian who is in practice may own and manage a trading business for the retail sale of drugs or animal remedies of recognised value and of disclosed contents or instruments or medicated food providing that:

i) Any consulting room surgery, laboratory, diagnostic facilities or dispensary associated with the practice must be part of the processional rooms and should be physically distinct from the premises used for the trading business.

ii) Drugs restricted for use by veterinary surgeons or legally available only on prescription shall not be sold from the trading business.

iii) Except as required by law, the name of the veterinarian or the name under which the practice is conducted, and the title, degrees or address of the veterinarian or any indication of same, shall not be displayed in or on the trading premises, nor be mentioned in any advertising of the trading premises.

Any vehicle displaying an advertisement associated with the business shall be regarded as part of the trading premises and shall not be used in connection with the veterinarian's practice.

5 Ownership and control of veterinary practices by lay persons

It is undesirable, both from a professional and public point of view, that any veterinarian in the conduct of a private practice should be subject to the direction or control of a lay person or persons.

6 Veterinarians should observe all laws, uphold the honour and dignity of the profession, and accept its self-imposed discipline. The veterinary profession should safeguard the public and itself against veterinarians deficient in moral character or professional competence.

6.1 The issuing of false certificates of health on official documents and careless compliance with official regulations that the veterinarian is entrusted to endorse is deemed a violation of professional honestly.

6.2 It is unprofessional to aid in illegal practices of others.

6.3 It is the duty of veterinarians to report illegal practices to the proper authorities.

7 The responsibility of the veterinary profession extends not only to the patient but also to society.

7.1 The veterinarian should first of all be a good citizen and leader in movements to advance community welfare. He should commit no act that will reflect unfavourably upon the worthiness of the profession.

7.2 All opinions on veterinary subjects which are communicated to the lay public through any medium, whether it be a public meeting, the press, radio or television should be presented as from the veterinary profession and not as from an individual veterinarian. Such opinions should represent what is generally accepted opinion of the veterinary profession and should be presented as such.

7.3 Veterinarians taking charge of columns in which answers to correspondences on veterinary questions are printed in newspapers and magazines for the public are apt to cause serious ethical repercussions. Authors should avoid controversial subjects.

Dr Bigguy · Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Kuching Sarawak

I am just wondering how many of our local vets has been veering from this code of ethics

Dr HanMRCVS · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 557 Location: Johor Bahru

Quite a significant number. Perhaps to some, it is in ignorance because the course of professional ethics were not taught in a formal manner in campus. There are however, some actions done by some within the profession in a deliberate manner which constitutes an unethical practice.

This is true for ALL profession regardless of being a professional or not. But being a vet myself, i understand the pressure and expectations expected of a young graduate and how hard it is not only to learn to cope with being in practice, but also to deal with contemporary issues facing the veterinary profession.

Dr Dunker · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 463 Location: Puchong,Selangor

This post was deleted by the author.

Dr. Dom Linggir Agas, DVM (UPM)

Dr HanMRCVS · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 557 Location: Johor Bahru

As you can see bigguy, such sensitive issues can truly open a can of worms and there could be thousands of view each with their own take and solutions to the problems. And as you can see here, i have been lamblasted for my take on it!!

Indeed, who are we to judge other ppl for their actions, while we, at the same time fails to recognize our own faults? Nevertheless, do be assured that our regulatory body do have their guidelines to professional conduct that spells out in black and white, what is ethical and what is not.

Dr Bigguy · Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Kuching Sarawak

Thank you Dr HanMRCVS for your frank reply. Not many people willing to stick out their neck especially for voicing out the truth! It is true that codes of ethics are NOT taught at all in university (at least during my time in 90's) and it is also true that we should learn about it by ourselves (hard ways) when we out there working and fending for ourselves. It is also true that we should not be the judge of other vets BUT if everybody kept quiet about any misconducts of our fellow vets, the VICTIM, I'm afraid is our very own profession in the eyes of the public and peers. If we can't clean up our own act how can expect the public to follow any veterinary regulation. Just wondering when is the last time the MVC had their meeting on this rather senstive issues? Please don't get me wrong, i don't mean to open up any can of worms here. Just wanted to vent my two sen worth of opinion.

Dr HanMRCVS · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 557 Location: Johor Bahru

If i am not mistaken, the Veterinary Assoc. of Malaysia (VAM) is in the process of establishing special groups (committees) such as vet ethics, complaint bureau, continual education, editorial board etc.

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject:

Dr HanMRCVS wrote: If i am not mistaken, the Veterinary Assoc. of Malaysia (VAM) is in the process of establishing special groups (committees) such as vet ethics, complaint bureau, continual education, editorial board etc.

Yes they are. You can apply to be part of the sub-committee to contribute to the progress of the veterinary profession. VAM needs more manpower to get things done. Your participation in the committee to push things forward can really make a different.

Please read the post at:

http://vet.com.my/viewtopic.php?t=803

and download a copy of the application form at the VAM homepage today!

Dr Bigguy · Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Kuching Sarawak

An ethic committee will help to channel any complaints from the public and VAM members to MVC. Only MVC has the power under Veterinary Surgeon Act to act on the complaints. The ethic committee can only act as a moderator and nothing more because registered vets only answer to MVC. Therefore it is crucial that MVC representatives seat in the committee.

lefty · Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 18

Conversation(few years back):

Errr...doktor datang dari Gombak sebab you kata emergency, kena charge lebih, RM50.Kena bayar sebelum masuk.

Us: Tapi kita cuma ada sikit wang saja skrg.

Takda duit tak boleh masuk.

Us: Aiya...macam tu ke? Check saja...anak kucing aku cedera teruk.

Kena bayar dulu, doktor kata.

Us: Tak cukup duit lar skrg...

- Kitten dies, spasms happen... -

Anak kucing tu macam mana?

Us: Baru saja mati.

Yakah? Masuklah...nak check kucing tu.

Us: Ohhh.....ok

- 5 minutes later. -

Kucing you mati kerana kecederaan dalaman yg teruk.

Us: Dia kena langgar kereta.

Oh...Nak kami tolong bakar?

Us: Mmm...kena bayar?

Yalah. RM...

Us: Kami tak cukup duit lar.

Kena bayar baru boleh bakar.

Us: Tak apa lar, kami tanam saja.

And off we went. Far, far away from the dumb animal hospital and dug a hole for our poor kitty.

(I must make a difference, one day)

Chevy · Joined: 02 Jun 2007 Posts: 13

Gee Lefty,
what an awful story. What was the name of the vet's klinik and is it still around?
I really cannot imagine a vet putting money above life. Such a rotten apple. :(

I do hope that it does not put you off vets in general. There are good vets out there. There's always a few bad ones that suck the life out of owners and their pets as well.

I'm not sure if there is anyone you can complain to about a vet's conduct. Is there a regulatory body for vets out there?

fhinz · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 294 Location: KL or Miri

yeah, there are good vets. once, when all my cats got bad flu, we had to find a vet clinic at night. and, since we still not educate enough about bringing our cats to vet, we didn't have any single idea where to go (dun worry, we are not too ignorant as we are still learning, :D). Thanks to YellowPage, we found one. But, when I called the clinic, the vet said the clinic closed. Somehow, he heard my distress voice and he said, bring the cats to the clinic and he also gave the instruction how to go there! The doc was kind and gentle and really informative although it was way pass the clinic's open hours.

So far, all vets that I have met, very good to us(humans and cats). Though one thing I don't like going to vet clinic is when there are dogs around as I'm so scared of them, hehe... (well, i'm afraid of lots of things, like spiders, coachroach, worms, :P)

varanus · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 469

I hate roached too, especially the flying one.

fhinz · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 294 Location: KL or Miri

I read somewhere when I was a kid, a roach inside a guy's ear! Since then, I sleep with both my ears covered.

Can we argue with the vets if they don't follow this code?

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

This code is more of a guideline than the law.

However, if you find a vet that is breaking this code, you can do several things. Like politely telling him/her so or if you find it really serious, you can bring it up with the proper authorities, namely the Malaysian Veterinary Council (with proof of course).