Abstract
Amongst other specific professions, the health profession is highly specialized because it deals with medicine. Therefore, the responsibility assured by health professionals is very great. We studied the codes of ethics of Japanese health professions. By analyzing and comparing them, we found each code consisted of the following five categories; 1. introduction (preface); 2. ethics pertaining to patients (individuals); 3. commom ethics to be practiced; 4. special ethics for each health profession; 5. ethics specific to the country. On the basis of the study, we further examined the codes of ethics of the three international health professions; The World Medical Association, Inc., The International Pharmaceutical Federation, and The International Council of Nurses, by means of comparison and analysis. The examination shows that in categories 2 and 3, we think it's both possible and desirable for health professionals to have common basic principles. Consequently, we have drafted the Common Code of Ethics for Health Professionals. Our idea is that if all health profession worldwide can have a code of ethics with a common basic concept and written in the same organized manner, they will be able to maintain the same high standards of ethical behavior, and work together for the benefit of patients (individuals) and society.
