Financial relationship of physician and patient in Traditional Iranian Medicine

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Abstract

Background and Objective: Great Iranian physicians of traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) have paid special attention to ethics in their practices, teachings and especially their manuscripts. It was essential for a physician to know medical ethics. They have had also some recommendations for physicians not to pay much attention to monetary aspects. The aim of this study was to determine the viewpoints of great physicians of TIM in this respect.  Materials and Methods: This study was a review research, which reviewed traditional Iranian medicine's literature and textbooks to find what traditional Iranian medicine says about the financial relationship between physicians and patients.  Results: From very ancient times, Iranian physicians believed that physicians should not work for money and material gain, they must be fearful of God and should treat alike the rich and poor. Razi (one of the foremost Iranian physicians) always emphasized on moral values and medical ethics and he always treated needy and destitute people, although he was not rich. Conclusion: Traditional Iranian and Islamic medicine believes that practice is a form of servitude to and worship of God and pays special attention to medical ethics. It recommends that rich and poor patients must have the same equal treatment and physicians must never compete and wrangle for incomes and fees.

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Daneshvar Medicine
Volume 19, Issue 5 - Serial Number 96
November and December 2011
Pages 73-80

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