271:. Apparently, the axiom was part of Chomel's oral teaching. Hooker, however, was quoting an earlier work by Elisha Bartlett who, on pages 288–289, says "The golden axiom of Chomel, that it is only the second law of therapeutics to do good, its first law being this – not to do harm – is gradually finding its way into the medical mind, preventing an incalculable amount of positive ill." However, Hooker used neither the specific expression, nor the traditional Latin phrase.
43:
342:
356:
188:
that all students in healthcare are taught in school and is a fundamental principle throughout the world. Another way to state it is that, "given an existing problem, it may be better not to do something, or even to do nothing, than to risk causing more harm than good." It reminds healthcare
284:. It addresses the questions of the origin and chronology of appearance of the maxim. Rather than being of ancient origin as usually assumed, the specific expression, and its even more distinctive associated Latin phrase, has been traced back to an attribution to
196:. Young and Wagner argued that, for healthcare professionals and other professionals subject to a moral code, in general beneficence takes priority over non-maleficence (“first, do good,” not “first, do no harm”) both historically and philosophically.
309:
An
American surgeon, L.A. Stimson, used the expression in 1879 and again in 1906 (in the same journal). That it was in common use by the 20th century is apparent from later mentions, such as by the prominent
189:
personnel to consider the possible harm that any intervention might do. It is invoked when debating the use of an intervention that carries an obvious risk of harm but a less certain chance of benefit.
430:
330:
The article also reviews the various uses of the now popular aphorism, its limitations as a moral injunction, and its increasingly frequent use in a variety of contexts.
323:
580:
589:
302:
224:: "The physician must ... have two special objects in view with regard to disease, namely, to do good or to do no harm" (book I, sect. 11, trans. Adams,
1113:
638:
1118:
529:
280:
1046:
60:
884:
126:
385:
107:
79:
268:
64:
86:
1036:
631:
1103:
1077:
707:
260:
93:
53:
869:
395:
150:
75:
1123:
1108:
798:
624:
500:
1082:
1026:
1021:
950:
874:
314:
236:
924:
770:
666:
193:
899:
836:
318:
31:
991:
554:
248:
217:
100:
986:
546:
451:
361:
1062:
1031:
914:
765:
538:
297:
205:
1067:
1006:
831:
722:
697:
611:
347:
285:
264:
803:
712:
405:
380:
278:
was reported by the clinical pharmacologist Cedric M. Smith in the April 2005 issue of
225:
209:
156:
1097:
864:
775:
717:
558:
1072:
1041:
826:
785:
572:
400:
289:
216:) but do not include the precise phrase. Perhaps the closest approximation in the
317:
in 1911, as well as detailed discussion of its use in a popular book authored by
909:
859:
854:
443:
410:
390:
42:
474:
17:
1016:
889:
747:
702:
576:
337:
311:
542:
960:
945:
904:
737:
692:
647:
185:
550:
455:
965:
894:
813:
793:
661:
275:
513:
An Essay on the
Philosophy of Medical Science, Lea & Blanchard, 1844
970:
940:
919:
742:
676:
184:, which is derived from the maxim, is one of the principal precepts of
821:
757:
375:
370:
879:
727:
256:
204:
The origin of the phrase is uncertain. Some early versions of the
161:
612:
Article presenting various views on the principle of "Do no harm"
235:
According to
Gonzalo Herranz, Professor of Medical Ethics at the
1001:
996:
955:
732:
620:
1011:
36:
616:
482:" is not actually from Hippocrates, but is a phrase in the
244:
192:
Non-maleficence is often contrasted with its complement,
267:
in the chair of medical pathology, and the preceptor of
230:ἀσκέειν, περὶ τὰ νοσήματα, δύο, ὠφελέειν, ἢ μὴ βλάπτειν
504:
electronic responses and commentary, 1 September 2002.
583:
Foundation for a New Theory and
Practice of Medicine
294:
Foundation for a New Theory and
Practice of Medicine
30:
This article is about the phrase. For the film, see
1055:
979:
933:
845:
812:
784:
756:
685:
654:
67:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
208:include the promise "to abstain from doing harm" (
1047:Termination of the patient-physician relationship
450:, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing,
324:The Journal of the American Medical Association
274:A detailed investigation of the origins of the
597:. Philadelphia, PA: Blanchard and Lea: 450–58.
632:
300:by an author who signed simply as "H. H." in
8:
590:The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
303:The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
171:
141:
639:
625:
617:
523:Smith, C. M. (2005). "Origin and Uses of
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
296:. Inman's book and his attribution were
27:Latin phrase meaning "first, do no harm"
442:Young, Michael; Wagner, Angela (2023),
423:
168:". The phrase is sometimes recorded as
155:
7:
530:The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
281:The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
65:adding citations to reliable sources
25:
243:was introduced into American and
214:ἐπὶ δηλήσει δὲ καὶ ἀδικίῃ εἴρξειν
386:Leaving the world a better place
354:
340:
41:
1114:Latin medical words and phrases
52:needs additional citations for
263:(1788–1858), the successor of
255:. Hooker attributed it to the
157:[ˈpriːmũːnoːnnɔˈkeːrɛ]
1:
431:Google book search, 1800–1970
1119:History of ancient medicine
527:– Above All, Do No Harm!".
1140:
1078:Institutional review board
259:pathologist and clinician
29:
708:Doctrine of double effect
288:(1624–1689) in a book by
229:
213:
543:10.1177/0091270004273680
396:Non-aggression principle
799:Reproductive technology
501:British Medical Journal
261:Auguste François Chomel
172:
142:
1083:Human challenge study
1022:Scientific misconduct
951:Jewish medical ethics
315:J. Whitridge Williams
253:Physician and Patient
237:University of Navarra
934:Cultural differences
837:Genetic modification
61:improve this article
848:emergent situations
319:Dr. Morris Fishbein
247:medical culture by
164:phrase that means "
76:"Primum non nocere"
32:...First Do No Harm
1104:Ethical principles
1027:Medical misconduct
992:Continuity of care
875:Court intervention
846:Death, dying, and
655:Classic principles
249:Worthington Hooker
218:Hippocratic Corpus
1091:
1090:
925:Transplant ethics
915:Health care proxy
804:Gender assignment
525:Primum Non Nocere
496:primum non nocere
480:primum non nocere
475:Primum non nocere
362:Philosophy portal
306:, also in 1860.
251:in his 1847 book
241:Primum non nocere
173:primum nil nocere
166:first, do no harm
143:Primum non nocere
137:
136:
129:
111:
16:(Redirected from
1131:
1063:Informed consent
1032:Competence (law)
980:Personal conduct
885:Ethics committee
766:Consequentialism
686:Other principles
641:
634:
627:
618:
599:
598:
581:"Book review of
569:
563:
562:
520:
514:
511:
505:
492:
486:
471:
465:
464:
463:
462:
444:"Medical Ethics"
439:
433:
428:
364:
359:
358:
357:
350:
345:
344:
343:
231:
215:
206:Hippocratic Oath
175:
159:
154:
145:
132:
125:
121:
118:
112:
110:
69:
45:
37:
21:
1139:
1138:
1134:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1094:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1068:Informed assent
1056:Research ethics
1051:
975:
929:
847:
841:
832:Genetic testing
808:
780:
752:
698:Confidentiality
681:
672:Non-maleficence
650:
645:
608:
603:
602:
571:
570:
566:
522:
521:
517:
512:
508:
494:"The origin of
493:
489:
472:
468:
460:
458:
441:
440:
436:
429:
425:
420:
415:
360:
355:
353:
348:Medicine portal
346:
341:
339:
336:
286:Thomas Sydenham
202:
182:Non-maleficence
151:Classical Latin
149:
133:
122:
116:
113:
70:
68:
58:
46:
35:
28:
23:
22:
18:Non-maleficence
15:
12:
11:
5:
1137:
1135:
1127:
1126:
1124:Nursing ethics
1121:
1116:
1111:
1109:Medical ethics
1106:
1096:
1095:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
987:Abuse of trust
983:
981:
977:
976:
974:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
937:
935:
931:
930:
928:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
900:Family meeting
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
851:
849:
843:
842:
840:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
816:
810:
809:
807:
806:
801:
796:
790:
788:
782:
781:
779:
778:
773:
768:
762:
760:
754:
753:
751:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
689:
687:
683:
682:
680:
679:
674:
669:
664:
658:
656:
652:
651:
646:
644:
643:
636:
629:
621:
615:
614:
607:
606:External links
604:
601:
600:
564:
515:
506:
487:
466:
434:
422:
421:
419:
416:
414:
413:
408:
406:Nursing ethics
403:
398:
393:
388:
383:
381:Harm principle
378:
373:
367:
366:
365:
351:
335:
332:
201:
198:
135:
134:
49:
47:
40:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1136:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1101:
1099:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1058:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
984:
982:
978:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
938:
936:
932:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
865:Cardiac death
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
850:
844:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
815:
811:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
791:
789:
787:
783:
777:
776:Virtue ethics
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
763:
761:
759:
755:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
690:
688:
684:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
653:
649:
642:
637:
635:
630:
628:
623:
622:
619:
613:
610:
609:
605:
596:
592:
591:
586:
584:
578:
574:
573:Inman, Thomas
568:
565:
560:
556:
552:
548:
544:
540:
537:(4): 371–77.
536:
532:
531:
526:
519:
516:
510:
507:
503:
502:
497:
491:
488:
485:
481:
478:– Tells why "
477:
476:
470:
467:
457:
453:
449:
445:
438:
435:
432:
427:
424:
417:
412:
409:
407:
404:
402:
399:
397:
394:
392:
389:
387:
384:
382:
379:
377:
374:
372:
369:
368:
363:
352:
349:
338:
333:
331:
328:
326:
325:
320:
316:
313:
307:
305:
304:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
282:
277:
272:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
233:
227:
223:
219:
211:
207:
199:
197:
195:
190:
187:
183:
179:
177:
176:
174:
167:
163:
158:
152:
147:
146:
144:
131:
128:
120:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78: –
77:
73:
72:Find sources:
66:
62:
56:
55:
50:This article
48:
44:
39:
38:
33:
19:
1073:Human rights
1042:Incompetency
827:Gene therapy
786:Reproduction
671:
594:
588:
582:
567:
534:
528:
524:
518:
509:
499:
495:
490:
483:
479:
473:
469:
459:, retrieved
447:
437:
426:
401:Non-violence
329:
322:
321:, editor of
312:obstetrician
308:
301:
293:
290:Thomas Inman
279:
273:
269:Pierre Louis
252:
240:
234:
221:
203:
191:
181:
180:
170:
169:
165:
140:
139:
138:
123:
114:
104:
97:
90:
83:
71:
59:Please help
54:verification
51:
910:Next of kin
860:Brain death
855:Arbitration
667:Beneficence
577:Hays, Isaac
411:Principlism
391:Meta-ethics
194:beneficence
1098:Categories
1037:Competency
1017:Misconduct
890:Euthanasia
771:Deontology
748:Persuasion
703:Conscience
461:2023-11-24
448:StatPearls
418:References
117:April 2015
87:newspapers
1007:Liability
961:Suffering
946:Etiquette
905:Mediation
870:Consensus
738:Ownership
693:Authority
648:Bioethics
484:Epidemics
327:in 1930.
222:Epidemics
186:bioethics
966:Religion
895:Executor
814:Genetics
794:Abortion
758:Theories
713:Equality
662:Autonomy
575:(1860).
559:41058798
551:15778417
456:30570982
334:See also
298:reviewed
292:(1860),
276:aphorism
257:Parisian
971:Respect
941:Dignity
920:Suicide
743:Privacy
677:Justice
579:(ed.).
265:Laennec
245:British
160:) is a
101:scholar
822:Gender
718:Equity
557:
549:
454:
376:Ethics
371:Ahimsa
220:is in
200:Origin
103:
96:
89:
82:
74:
1012:Lying
1002:Gifts
880:Death
728:Mercy
723:Guilt
555:S2CID
226:Greek
210:Greek
162:Latin
108:JSTOR
94:books
997:Duty
956:Pain
733:Oath
547:PMID
452:PMID
80:news
539:doi
498:",
232:).
63:by
1100::
595:XL
593:.
587:.
553:.
545:.
535:45
533:.
446:,
239:,
228::
212::
178:.
640:e
633:t
626:v
585:"
561:.
541::
153::
148:(
130:)
124:(
119:)
115:(
105:·
98:·
91:·
84:·
57:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
