Policy
WMA's Policies on Ethical and Social Issues
The Handbook of WMA Policy is issued as a record of the World Medical Association’s stance on a variety of ethical and social issues. The issues are usually important factors in human health and are relevant to physicians worldwide. Some of the Declarations have needed revision in light of new knowledge or to improve the sometimes awkward wording that inevitably occurs when people of different tongues deliberate together. This dynamic process shows that the WMA is a constantly evolving, unique organization, ideal to act as a protector of patients’ best interests, and as advocates for the medical profession.
- WMA Declaration of Washington on Biological Weapons (revised)
- WMA Declaration on the Ethical Use of Medical Technology (revised)
- WMA Statement in Times of Armed Conflict and Other Situations of Violence (revised)
- WMA Statement on Forced or Coerced Sterilisation (revised)
- WMA Statement on Human Health as a Primary Policy Focus for Governments Worldwide
- WMA Statement on International Medical Meetings in Countries Persecuting Physicians against Medical Ethics and Human Rights Standard
- WMA Statement on Medical Ethics during Public Health Emergencies
- WMA Statement on Natural Variations of Human Sexuality (revised)
- WMA Statement on Primary Health Care
- WMA Statement on Electronic Cigarettes and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (revised)
- WMA Resolution Condemning the Violence against Physicians in Nepal
- WMA Resolution for an Immediate and Effective Ceasefire in Sudan and the Protection of Health Care (revised)
- WMA Resolution in Support of the Medical Associations in Latin America and the Caribbean (revised)
- WMA Resolution on acknowledgement and condemnation of the human rights violations against the Uyghurs and other minorities in China
- WMA Resolution on Anti-LGBTQ Legislation in Uganda (revised)
- WMA Resolution on Human Rights Demonstrations in Iran (revised)
- WMA Resolution on Medical Workforce (revised)
Policies reaffirmed by the 223rd Council Session, Nairobi, April 2023 and the 224th Council Session, Kigali, October 2023
- WMA Statement on Advance Directives (Living Wills) (with minor revision)
- WMA Statement on Forensic Investigation of the Missing (with minor revision)
- WMA Statement on Fungal Disease Diagnosis and Management (with minor revision)
- WMA Statement on Right of Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (with minor revision)
- WMA Statement on the United Nations Resolution for a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty (with minor revision)
- WMA Resolution on Collaboration Between Human and Veterinary Medicine (with minor revision)
- WMA Resolution on Prohibition of Physician Participation in Capital Punishment (with minor revision)
- WMA Resolution on Supporting the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (with minor revision)
WMA endorsed the WFME Global Standards for Quality Improvement: Postgraduate Medical Education 2023 and as a consequence, the following policy was updated:
Policy Handbook English-Version 2022-2 (printed in October 2022; 8 MB)