World Medical Association declaration of Lisbon on the rights of the patient Adopted by the 34th World Medical Assembly Lisbon, Portugal, September/October 1981 and amended by the 47th General Assembly Bali, Indonesia, September 1995
The relationship between physicians, their patients and broader society has undergone significant changes in recent times. While a physician should always act according to his/her conscience, and always in the best interests of the patient, equal effort must be made to guarantee patient autonomy and justice. The following Declaration represents some of the principal rights of the patient which the medical profession endorses and promotes. Physicians and other persons or bodies involved in the provision of health care have a joint responsibility to recognize and uphold these rights. When-ever legislation, government action or any other administration or institution denies patients these rights, physicians should pursue appropriate means to assure or to restore them.