Hippocratic Oath: the dilemma of medical ethics

All medical graduates are familiar with the Hippocratic oath. On joining the medical college, every student reads it. With the new dispensation, it is being replaced by Sushrut Pledge in some places. Out of various versions of the Hippocratic Oath in circulation, few have a component stating, “As a physician, I will respect my teachers and will provide the treatment free of cost to my colleagues and their family members”. I remember and apply this part very well as I am a teacher in a non-practicing branch so I hardly have to waive any charges to any other doctor whereas I do not have to pay while visiting the private hospitals/ labs. Of late this complete waiver has been replaced by discounted charges for lab investigations and indoor admissions (provided one is not invoking the benefit of medical insurance). However, to date, I have largely not paid consulting charges to any doctor because mostly I go to those who are well-known to me or have been my students. At times I can read the confusion on the faces of the consultants (whether to charge or not) but before they make up their mind to charge me, I get up and leave the chamber quickly saying “Thanks a lot”.

It was some 20 years ago when I was in Surat working as an Associate Professor. I was prescribed a few of the lab investigations. As usual, I went to a reputed lab in Surat owned by a doctor who had been my UG student. As expected, I was not to pay him the charges and manage with “Thank you”. For a few of the tests, I am to come early morning with overnight fasting. So, the pathologist introduced me to a lab technician (LT), saying “Sir will come tomorrow morning. Collect the blood sample at that time and also do not collect any charges from him”. The LT went away nodding.

Early morning the next day, I went with my wife to the lab to give the blood sample. There was a different technician who was not told not to charge SIR (?). So, he asked me to deposit the charges. We both exchanged glances but having no choice, I paid the money and gave the blood sample. In my mind, I selfishly invoked medical ethics as it was a bit painful for me to pay for the tests in a lab run by one of my students. I was also hoping that in a couple of days when lab people will reconcile the accounts, the money would probably be refunded. Around 3 pm on the same day, I heard some commotion in front of my office and found the owner of the same lab coming to my chamber holding the reports in one hand and literally pulling the ear of the poor technician (who forgot to tell the other technician not to charge sir) with other hand. He was showering several expletives on this poor fellow (original residents of Surat are infamous for using such words with great ease in any gathering). Anyway, my payment was refunded on the spot with profuse apologies and that technician was also made to apologize. I promptly accepted their apologies and pocketed the money. I was touched by the gesture of the owner of the lab that being such a busy person he decided to come to my office not only to hand over me the reports and return the money but to say sorry as well.

That day I thanked the medical ethics and also felt a genuine pride in my profession of teaching.

Acknowledgement: I’d like to thank Ms Sudehsna, my ex-colleague at Gujarat State AIDS Control Society (GSACS), for editing the text and making it readable.