Biomedical Engineering Society Code of Ethics
PRINTABLE PDF VERSION OF CODE OF ETHICS
Biomedical engineering is a learned profession that combines expertise and responsibilities in engineering, science, technology, and medicine. Mindful that public health and welfare are paramount considerations in each of these areas, the Society identifies in this Code principles of ethical conduct in professional practice, health care, research, and training. This Code reflects voluntary standards of professional and personal practice recommended for biomedical engineers.
Biomedical Engineering Professional Obligations
Biomedical engineers in the fulfillment of their professional engineering duties shall:
1. Use their knowledge, skills, and abilities to enhance the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
2. Strive by action, example, and influence to increase the competence, prestige, and honor of the biomedical engineering profession.
Biomedical Engineering Health Care Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in health care activities shall:
1. Regard responsibility toward and rights of patients, including those of confidentiality and privacy, as a primary concern.
2. Consider the broader consequences of their work in regard to cost, availability, and delivery of health care.
Biomedical Engineering Research Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in research shall:
1. Comply fully with legal, ethical, institutional, governmental, and other applicable research guidelines, respecting the rights of and exercising the responsibilities to human and animal subjects, colleagues, the scientific community and the general public.
2. Publish and/or present properly credited results of research accurately and clearly.
Biomedical Engineering Training Obligations
Biomedical engineers entrusted with the responsibilities of training others shall:
1. Honor the responsibility not only to train biomedical engineering students in proper professional conduct in performing research and publishing results, but also to model such conduct before them.
2. Keep training methods and content free from inappropriate influence of special interests.