“First do no harm” is a popular saying that derives from the Latin phrase, “primum non nocere” or “primum nil nocere.” The term is particularly popular amongst those involved in the field of healthcare, medicine, or bioethics, and among popular accounts of the medical field, since it is a basic principle taught in ...
Where does the phrase first do no harm come from?
“First do no harm” is a popular saying that derives from the Latin phrase, “primum non nocere” or “primum nil nocere.” The term is particularly popular amongst those involved in the field of healthcare, medicine, or bioethics, and among popular accounts of the medical field, since it is a basic principle taught in ...
Who Invented do no harm?
And in fact, although “first, do no harm” is attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates , it isn’t a part of the Hippocratic Oath at all. It is actually from another of his works called Of the Epidemics.
What does First Do No Harm mean to a healthcare professional?
Primum non nocere is the Latin phrase that means “first, do no harm.” This is a commonly taught principle in healthcare. In fact, the Hippocratic Oath, taken by doctors, promises they will abstain from doing harm to their patients.
Who coined the phrase above all do no harm?
This aphorism is attributed to Thomas Inman , an English Physician in 1860. 1 PubMed lists 598 articles with ‘do no harm’ in the title alone.
Who is the first Greek God mentioned in the Hippocratic Oath?
False Gods
The original text of the Hippocratic Oath invokes the names of several Greek gods including Apollo , Hygieia, and Panacea.
Why was the Do No Harm approach developed?
The “Do no Harm” (DNH) concept is borrowed from medical practice and traces its origins to the Hippocratic Oath. It was then developed for humanitarian action by Mary Anderson in the 1990s, as an approach to working effectively in conflict-affected situations2 . and helps advance thinking on the negative effects of aid.
When did the Hippocratic Oath start?
Written in the 5th century B.C. , the Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest documents in history. While the creators intended it to be a binding covenant, modern doctors see the oath as a promise to uphold the art of medicine and act in patients’ interests.
Do No Harm meaning in medical?
Latin for ‘ first do no harm .’ A guiding principle for physicians that, whatever the intervention or procedure, the patient’s well-being is the primary consideration.
What does no harm mean?
to not intend to hurt , damage, or upset someone or something.
Do the patient no harm?
It is often said that the exact phrase “First do no harm” (Latin: Primum non nocere) is a part of the original Hippocratic oath . ... Another equivalent phrase is found in Epidemics, Book I, of the Hippocratic school: “Practice two things in your dealings with disease: either help or do not harm the patient”.
Why do doctors ignore side effects?
There are various reasons that drug side effects might go unrecognized: the shrinking time physicians have to spend with patients ; the fact that doctors receive lots of information about the benefits of drugs but not much on their dangers; and cognitive dissonance or denial about the negative effects that drugs can ...
What does the Hippocratic Oath promise?
The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history. Written in antiquity, its principles are held sacred by doctors to this day: treat the sick to the best of one’s ability, preserve patient privacy, teach the secrets of medicine to the next generation, and so on .
What does above all do no harm mean?
Drucker summarized what he expected from the leader with one of Hippocrates’s concepts: primum non nocere . This means “above all, do no harm.” ... Hippocrates rejected the common views of his age that considered illness to be caused by evil spirits or the disfavor of the gods.
What does primum non nocere?
to the editor: In the Latin phrases that get tossed about by physicians, “primum non nocere” ( “first, do no harm” ) is perhaps the best recognized. ... Every weapon in the physician’s armamentarium is double-edged; every cure has a potential harm.
Which ethical concept is best translated as Do no harm ‘?
A term in medical ethics that derives from the ancient maxim primum non nocere , which, translated from the Latin, means first, do no harm. The principle of nonmaleficence directs physicians to “do no harm” to patients. Physicians must refrain from providing ineffective treatments or acting with malice toward patients.
