The Significance Of The Hippocratic Oath To The Principles Of Contemporary Medical Ethics

Abstract

The present paper aims to explore the significance of the Hippocratic Oath and its modifications, to con temporary medical ethics. Thus, the underlying principles of the Oath and its influence over the centuries shall be first analyzed, followed by the changes made in the Declaration of Geneva. The reached conclusion is that the Oath has a deontological value as a reflection of the personal conviction of the Oath taker, as a basis for creating contemporary medical documents and as a guarantee to society for the fulfilment of the undertaken duty.