'primum non nocere' : first of all, do no harm

Quote: The medical profession must preserve the ethical tenets of privacy, confidentiality, and consent of patients in times of both war and peace. In this regard, the council recently established ethical guidelines about the filming of patients (Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, report, American Medical Association annual meeting, Chicago, June 2003).* Differences between educational and commercial filming stem from the protections provided when filming is conducted by healthcare professionals, who are ethically bound to protect patient privacy and confidentiality of patient information. Various pressures may be placed on doctors to compromise their commitment to ethics. However, only by keeping patients' best interest as their paramount responsibility will doctors preserve the integrity of their professional relationships with patients and continue to earn public trust. *American Medical Association. Opinion 5.045. Filming patients in health care settings. Code of medical ethics. 2002-2003 ed. Chicago: AMA, 2003.