CHAPTER 1
ON THE BASIC RULES THAT CHARACTERIZE THEPRACTITIONERS AND GUIDE THEIRS ACTIONS
Article 1 – Ayurveda must be understood as acomplete health system based on natural healing and preventivemethods, taught by ancient Indian sages. Ayurvedas’s basis andpillar are the great trilogy of the classical texts: SushrutSamhita, Charak Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya.
1st Paragraph – Health, from an Ayurvedicperspective, according to Charak Samhita, is understood as adynamic state in which the doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha are inharmony; Agni – the digestive fire, responsible for themetabolism in all its levels – is in adequate quantity andquality; Dhatus – tissues- are in adequate quantity and quality;excretions are being correctly eliminated from the body; thesenses, the mind and the soul are in harmony. This concept,associated with WHO’s definition that health is a state ofcomplete physical, mental and social well-being, and not simplythe absences of illnesses, must guide the preventive andtherapeutic actions of the Ayurvedic practitioner.
Article 2 – Ayurvedic therapist is theprofessional who is duly trained in the knowledge and practiceof the philosophic concepts about the universe and human beings,in Ayurveda’s specific anatomy and physiology, in the methodsused for the evaluation of constitution and imbalances, in theuse of preventive and therapeutic methods from the Ayurvedicperspective, according to programs established and approved bythe World Movement for Yoga and Ayurveda and its affiliated,following standards of world-renowned institutions, not only inIndia but also in the West.
Article 3 – The Ayurvedic practitioner iscommitted to applying the natural resources established byAyurveda in the promotion, maintenance, and reestablishment ofhealth focusing on the person’s physical, energetic, mental andspiritual balance, and guiding the use of the natural therapiestowards the promotion of personal and social well-being in aholistic way.
Article 4 – He must work together with thecommunity in life quality betterment programs, guiding, teachingand spreading the use of natural resources from an ayurvedicperspective.
Article 5 – He is allowed to coordinate multidisciplinary teams inholistic health programs, using and guiding the use from naturalresources from an ayurvedic perspective.
Article 6 – He is allowed to developeducational activities (courses, lectures, interviews, seminars, …etc.) aiming at the promotion recovery and maintenance ofhealth.
Article 7 – He must develop scientific works in the field of Ayurveda.
Article 8 – He is allowed to conductconsulting and/or assisting in order to spread Ayurvedicconcepts in companies as well as in administrative and peoplemanagements, considering individual differences in accordancewith ayurvedic typology.
Article 9 – He must be held responsible for any damage due tocarelessness, negligence or imprudence whether in individual orgroup treatment.
Article 10 – He must have adequate attitude and behavior suitable to thedignity of the professional as well as the due respect to theclient.
Article 11 – He must refrain from makingcomments or criticisms about other practitioners because ofpersonal or technical disagreements mainly before clients.
Article 12 - He must give detailed and preciseinformation to other health professionals, whenever solicited,taking into consideration the clients wish when the latter asksfor secrecy as far as general evaluation of ayurvedic treatmentis concerned.
Article 13 - Ayurveda is a holistic andcomplete system whose logical basis towards the accomplishmentintegration of all dwells on a specific vision, rooted on itsclassic texts. Its practice must never be fragmented, such asprior zing an aspect to the detriment of others.
Article 14 - Ayurveda practitioners mustrespect all other therapeutic practices, seeking integration andcooperation among them, besides always interpreting them fromayurvedic physiological and physiopathological perspective.
Article 15 – He must constantly brush up onphilosophical, technical, scientific and cultural novelties,thus promoting a more competent therapeutic treatment.
Article 16 – He must always have a writtenrecommendation from a licensed medical doctor every time hisservices are required in surgical centers, hospitals treatmentunits or any other medical and dental care establishments.
Article 17 - He must see his clientsregardless of race, religious or political creeds, gender, ageor skin color.
Article 18 – He must be aware not to interferein medical treatment or any other professional treatments.
Article 19 - He must be aware to recommendclients to others health professionals whenever considerednecessary.
Article 20 – It’s important not to lure clients into misleading publicityor to belittle any other therapeutic practice.
Article 21 – He must have the commitment torespect clients’ rights, dignity, privacy and integrity.
Article 22 – He must keep a written record oftreatments, respecting the secrecy of the information as well asany other data provides by the clients.
Article 23 – He must keep the clients informedabout the treatment, refraining from making promises or falseexpectations.
Article 24 – He must commit himself to neverparticipate in life risky researches such as physical or moreinjuries to human being, but instead, denounce them.
Article 25 – He must be aware to abide by thecountry’s current laws as far as action and the interaction withother health professionals are concerned
CHAPTER II
ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLIENTS
Article 26 – Ayurvedapractitioners must notify clients or, anyone responsible forthem, on any relevant information concerning the treatment.
Article 27 – In his practice, hewill guarantee appropriate work conditions to clients’ safety aswell as privacy and professional secrecy.
Article 28 – He must refrain fromdisclosing secret facts on clients because of his practice.
Article 29 – He must keep clientssecrets and personal records respecting clients’ integrity andintimacy.
Article 30 – He must respect theclients’ right to decide on himself and his well-being.
Article 31 – He must evaluate hisclients in a holistic way according to Ayurveda’s precepts. Hemay even base his evaluation on modern diagnosis methodsaccording to medical exams.
Article 32 – Clients with nomedical diagnosis must be sent to seek a doctor.
Article 33 – He must have awritten authorization from the family in order to treat clientswhen the latter do not have physical or mental capacity orsuffer from chemical dependency.
Article 34 – He must keep aprogress record of the treatment respecting the confidentialityof the data or any other information provided by the client.
Article 35 – He should do hisbest to keep the treatment at a reasonable price to the publicby being as flexible as possible to cater for low incomeclients.
Article 36 – The Practitionerwith his background must guide his practice to promote hisclients in all their dimensions.
Article 37 – He must assure hisclients a practice void of carelessness, negligence andimprudence.
Article 38 - He must deliver medical care tohis client, with no discrimination of economic, political,religious, gender, age or skin color.
Article 39 - He must respect client’s culturalvalues and religious beliefs.
Article 40 - He will request written consentof the client to present his case for evaluation in researchevents or educational activities according to the country’scurrent laws.
Article 41 - It is forbidden to leave theclient unattended during his treatment with no guarantee of assistance or continuity, except in case of force majeure or on the client’s written request.
Article 42 - It is forbiddento render services which, by their nature, are under theincumbency of other professional, except for any situation inwhich his background allows him to do so.
CHAPTER III
ONPROFESSIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY
Article 43 - The professional confidentialityis inherent to the profession and imposes itself, with theexception of severe threat to life, to honor or in the case theAyurveda professional is confronted by the client and, in selfdefense, is forced to reveal a secret, always restricted to thecause’s interest and only to the competent instances.
Article 44 - Private information given by theclient to the Ayurveda professional can be used within thelimits of his needs for defense and only when authorized by theclient.
Sole Paragraph – Epistolaryinformations are presumed confidential among the Ayurvedaprofessionals and cannot be disclosed to third parties.
CHAPTER IV
ONPUBLICITY
Article 45 - The practitioner willuse the means of communication to inform the great public on theresources and technical-scientific knowledge of the profession.
Article 46 - The practitioner willinform with accuracy his register and qualifications, and onlythem, while promoting publicly his services.
Article 47-It is forbidden to the professional:
I – to use theservice fee as a means of publicity;
II – to allow his professional activity to be used as an awardon raffles or as gifts;
III – to make definite forecasts of the results;
IV – to make fees proposals that reflect unfaithful competition;
V – to self promote in detriment of the image or the servicesrendered by other professionals of the same area;
VI – to propose activities which invade or disrespect otherprofessional groups;
Sole Paragraph: The contents disposed in this Article areapplicable to all means of publicity performed by theProfessional, individually or jointly.
CHAPTER
on the relationship with theprofessional category
Article 48 - The Practitioner must behave towards his colleagues withrespect, regard and solidarity, thus reinforcing the category’sreputation.
Article 49 - The Practitioner must cooperatewith another professional, when requested, except in case of anyimpossibility resulting from a relevant cause.
Article 50 - The Practitioner must not, due tospirit of solidarity, be conniving with errors, ethic failures,crimes or penal contraventions by other professionals whilerendering professional services.
Article 51 –He will not criticize colleaguesin the presence of the clients.
Article 52 - While related with othercolleagues, the Practitioner must try to recognize the casesbelonging to other professional fields and forward them toenabled and qualified people.
Article 53 - He must respect other therapeuticmodalities, to pursue integration with them and developcooperation relationship aiming to provide the best treatment tothe client.
Article 54 – He must cooperate with othertherapists providing adequate and accurate information whenasked for and to respect client’s right to maintainconfidentiality on his energetic unbalance or energeticdiagnose.
Article 55 - He must offer the client the bestquality treatment and to point out other therapists or healthprofessionals when necessary, or when the therapist in chargecould not continue to attend the client owing to defensiblecauses.
Article 56 – The Practitioner must do his bestto keep up with Ayurveda’s concepts and standards before otherprofessionals and his relationship with them.
Article 57 – He must support associationswhich aim to:
I - Defendpractitioners’ dignity and rights.
II – Spread and brush up on Ayurveda precepts.
III – Harmonize and unite his professional group
IV - Defend labor rights of such group
V – Promote citizens’ well-bring
Article 58 – He will become a member, assumepositions and participate in activities of the group as well wesupport initiatives aiming to professional and culturalbackground to defend the legitimate interests of the group.
Article 59 – He must warn colleagues whencarelessness, imprudence and negligence are observed.
Article 60 – The Practitioner updates andbroadens his technical scientific and cultural knowledge for theclients’ benefit and for professional development.
Article 61 – He performs his activity withcare and probity besides following to precepts of professionalethics, of moral customs, of civic feeling and of current laws,preserving Ayurveda’s glorious tradition, honor and prestige.
Article 62 – He performs his activity withautonomy, respecting the precepts of the code of ethics.
Article 63 – He must perform his practice withjustice, competence, responsibility, honesty, care and prudence.
Article 64 – He must base all his practice upon Ayurvedas’s philosophy.
Article 65 – He must keep both equipment andtherapeutic premises in perfect hygienic conditions.
Article 66 – He must take up positions only withinhis technical and legal competence.
Article 67 – He must take full responsibilityfor his acts in his professional practice whether in individualor group treatment.
Article 68 – He must take up responsibility only for the practice he iseligible to perform – personally and technically speaking
CHAPTER VII
ON SOCIAL RELATION
Article 69 – The Practitioner must seeclients, respecting their dignity and rights regardless of race,nationality, political belief, creed, gender, skin color, ageand walk of life.
Article 70 – He must interrupt or denounceunqualified practitioners whose behavior is harmful to thesociety.
Article 71 - He must do his bestto keep the treatment at a reasonable price to the public bybeing as flexible as possible to cater for low income clients.
Article 72 – The Practitioner performs his practice as a member of societyin order to meet society’s interests and health needs.
Article 73 – Owing to hisprofessional background, the therapist will respect life, humanrights, and ecology, seeking to preserve his clients’ values.
Article 74 – He will respecthuman life from the moment of conception to death, making sureto never engage in acts which are intent on ending life, orputting his clients’ physical or psychological integrity atrisk.
Article 75 – He must conduct personal behavior compatible to hisprofessional dignity and clients’ respect.
Article 76 – He will offer his professional services to the community or toany governmental authorities in times of epidemic andcatastrophe without aspiring to personal advantages.
CHAPTER VIII
OF THE RELATION WITH THE LAW
Article 77 – The therapist willmake his knowledge available to aid Justice.
Article 78 - The practitioner will refrain from working as a justiceexaminer in fields that do not encompass his knowledge.
Article 79 - In justiceexaminations, he will act with full exemption, limiting hispractice to the realm of his knowledge and will never informunnecessary additional information in his clinical statements.
Article 80 – It is forbidden forpractitioners to:
I - Perform as an examiner on former and current clients.
II – Write clinical statements that might not abide by the lawsby motives of impediment or suspicion.
III – Take advantage of his current position, of family ties orof friendship with administrative and judicial authorities inorder to be summoned to act as an examiner.
Article 81 – Practitioners willperform their practice, respecting and referring to the Law andwill work with competence, responsibility and honesty.
Article 82 – It is forbidden forpractitioners to become partners with others who performAyurveda practice illegally.
Article 83 – It is forbidden forpractitioners to act in league with crimes, felonies or illegalacts performed by peers, violating the code of ethics.
CHAPTER IX
ON PROFESSIONALREMUNERATION
Article 84 – The pay will beagreed upon with dignity and due respect so as to represent justremuneration for the services performed by practitioners. Thelatter will make sure to charge adequately taking intoconsideration clients’ need and life standards, thus helping theprofession be acknowledged by the whole society as a trustworthypractice.
Article 85 – The remunerationwill be carefully calculated considering the practice featuresand shall be revealed to clients or the institution before thebeginning of the treatment.
CHAPTER X
ON COMPLIANCE,APPLICABILITY AND CARRYING OUT OF THE CODE OF ETHICS.
Article 86 - Any violation to thecode of ethics, stated herein, will result in sanctions, rangingfrom written admonishment to the suspension of professionallicense.
Article 87 – The practitionerwill denounce to the respective Authority any person who isexercising the profession without proper license or who isviolating any of the laws stated herein.
Article 88 – The practitionermust be aware of and comply with this code of ethics.
Dr. José Rugue
