The new possibilities created by advances in medicine frequently raise ethical questions. For more than 50 years, the SAMS has published medical-ethical guidelines. They raise awareness among physicians and other health professionals about ethically demanding issues and provide specific guidance for medical practice. The guidelines are also used by authorities and courts to define the rules governing medical practice.
The medical-ethical guidelines of the SAMS are intended to serve as a guide for everyday practice. They help to reinforce ethical principles and values such as patient autonomy, justice and the principle of non-harm. The high level of recognition of the guidelines among health professionals is due to their professional nature: the expertise of the professionals, professional groups and patient and family representatives involved, as well as the meticulous drafting process, including public consultation, ensure their quality and broad support.
Procedure for developing medical-ethical guidelines
The Central Ethics Committee (CEC) of the SAMS identifies and discusses ethical problems in medicine and develops practical guidance. To prepare guidelines, the CEC appoints subcommittees comprised of carefully selected experts who follow clearly defined procedures. These include, for example, expert hearings and consultations, a public consultation, and approval by the CEC, Executive Board and Senate of the SAMS.
Current guidelines
All current guidelines can be downloaded under Publications. Print versions in French and German can be ordered free of charge. Interesting facts about the guidelines are summarized in our flyer, which is also available in printed form. Guidelines that are no longer applicable are available in the online archive. Information on guidelines in preparation can be found below.
Flyer: The medical-ethical guidelines of the SAMS
Guidelines under development
Legal framework of the guidelines
The SAMS medical-ethical guidelines are ethical standards established by a private foundation. The guidelines do not have direct binding legal effect, but they are of great practical and conceptual importance. A legal opinion published in 2024 on behalf of the SAMS provides a comprehensive description of the complex legal framework within which the SAMS guidelines are created and have their effect. A summary of the main points and the full report can be found on the subpage.
The medical-ethical guidelines in transition
The medical-ethical guidelines of the SAMS are at the crossroads of medicine, ethics, law and health policy. But how exactly are these guidelines developed? How broad-based and transparent is the development process? And what effect do they have in practice? The Central Ethics Commission (CEC) has addressed these questions and sought advice on them from external experts.
The findings were reflected in the revision of the regulations (available in French and German), which define the work of the CEC and its subcommittees. The process then continued with a comprehensive legal opinion and finally led to the national symposium «Governing by Values: Medical Ethics Guidelines in Transition».
The report about the development and impact of the medical-ethical guidelines (available in French and German), produced as part of the symposium, highlights the many facets of change in the development and impact of the SAMS guidelines over the past 50 years.
The starting point for the symposium was the University's SNSF project «Governing by Values», which ran parallel but independently of the CEC’s reflection process and examined the history of the SAMS guidelines from a historical and legal perspective.
Case studies on guidelines