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Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association; Oscar W. Clarke, MD; John Glasson, MD; Allison M. August, MD; Charles H. Epps, Jr, MD; Victoria N. Ruff, MD; Craig H. Kliger, MD; Charles W. Plows, MD; George T. Wilkins, Jr, MD; James H. Cosgriff, Jr, MD; David Orentlicher, MD, JD; Kristen A. Halkola

JAMA. 1993;270(3):365-368.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

BACKGROUND

The question of physician participation in capital punishment has a long history.¹ Physicians have helped develop execution methods that were more humane than conventional methods. The most famous example is that of Dr Joseph Guillotin, who developed a mechanism for execution that he believed to be far more humane and civilized than other contemporary methods.² However, other physicians have disagreed with any physician participation in the death penalty.¹ The Oath of Hippocrates has historically been interpreted as prohibiting physician participation in executions. The Oath states in part:

I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to anyone when asked to do so nor will I suggest such a course.¹

During the 1970s, states began to consider use of lethal injection when executing condemned prisoners. . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill.

Gallipolis, Ohio; Durham, NC; Canton, Mass; Washington, DC; Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles, Calif; Santa Ana, Calif; Edwardsville, III; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, III; Ann Arbor, Mich

Footnotes
Resolution 5 (December 1991), which was referred to the Board of Trustees, asked the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs to (1) develop a guideline that would prohibit physician participation in state executions and (2) specify exactly which actions by physicians would constitute participation. The Council responded to the resolution with this report, which was adopted as American Medical Association policy by the House of Delegates on December 8, 1992.

Reprint requests to the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 (David Orentlicher, MD, JD).

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