Chapman proposes that this mentality has dominated the ethical statements of the American Medical Association for over 100 years. While some physician groups have sought to state principles of medical ethics, their efforts have not been forceful enough. Thus, the American College of Physicians commissioned an ad hoc committee to formulate some principles of medical ethics. While the committee prepared a reasoned text considering many different cases and the ethical principles usable in different situations, the principles were submitted as guidelines . Ethical principles are not guidelines, if this means, as it usually does, that one is morally free to accept or reject these principles.
Ethical principles are more than guidelines.
Thus, some statements of ethics fail not because they are too particular, but because they are put forth as suggestions or guidelines instead of objective norms which involve moral obligations. But in the formulation of ethical norms for medicine physicians should be aided by those who have expertise in ethics and philosophy. In these words Chapman indicates that physicians, in their professional societies, must pave the way for the formulation of ethical norms for medicine. Kevin O'Rourke, OP Footnotes 1.