A review of the IAEA approach toward the "code of ethics in medical physics practices"

Abstract

Medical physics has become an essential part of the applications of radiation in areas like radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy. Apart from the technical skills, medical physicists should also be well versed in the ethical guidelines developed by medical physics professional bodies. In Pakistan, no such guidelines have been established by the medical physics community. Therefore, it is vital to understand the code of ethics developed by the medical physics bodies in other countries. Several professional bodies like the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and others have developed a code of ethics for medical physics practices, and the medical physics communities throughout the world use this code of conduct extensively. Likewise, the International Atomic Energy Agency has, through its publication \"Roles and Responsibilities, and Education and Training Requirements for Clinically Qualified Medical Physicists, Human Health Series 25, 2013," elaborated a code of ethics for member states. The same approach may also apply to the medical physics community in Pakistan. This article reviews the international practices and the significance of the code and its application in Pakistan.