Code of Ethics

The primary mission of the International Council for Respiratory Care (ICRC) is to support the development of the art, science, clinical practice, research and educational programs related to the provision of high quality respiratory care practice globally.

Fundamental to the ICRC effort is to encourage the application of evidence–based, ethical and safe respiratory care practice; and to provide education for patients, caregivers and the general public in respiratory health promotion, disease prevention and rehabilitation as appropriate.

We, the ICRC, in recognition of the importance of our mission in affecting the quality of global respiratory care practice, and in accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct and agree to:

use any available resource to develop the art, science, clinical practice, research, and educational programs related to the provision of high quality respiratory care practice;

avoid any form of conduct that creates a conflict of interest and to follow the principles of ethical business behavior;

accept responsibility in making every possible effort to promote the application of evidence–based, ethical and safe respiratory care practice;

be scientific and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data;

assist and support colleagues and co-workers in other professional organizations in their professional development;

avoid any conflict with laws and regulations which govern and relate to the practice of respiratory care in all countries;

seek, accept and offer constructive criticism of practices based on ICRC standards, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others;

and to

treat fairly all persons regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, age or nationality.

The ICRC does not endorse any medical institution, biomedical technology, or pharmaceutical product. The ICRC is a non-profit organization and its decisions are not influenced by the advertising of commercial or noncommercial organizations that provide funding, services or materials for ICRC Activities.

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