ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is revising the code of medical ethics with an intent to empower the council to take suo moto action against doctors and specialists for violating professional conduct.

Dr Hayat Zafar and Prof (Dr) Abdullah Jan Jaffar, the president and vice-president of the PMDC, told reporters here on Monday that the council had already taken action against 15 doctors as it was concerned to protect the rights of the patients.

“We are conscious of the fact that some of the registered doctors and specialists are involved in malpractices, misguiding or mistreating the innocent patients, and thus bringing bad name to this noble profession,” they said.

They said the need to revise code of ethics was felt because it had been outdated. The revised ethics would also include Islamic provisions, new jurisprudence and medico-legal practices.

The new code would be applicable to all the registered doctors.

A draft to this effect has already been sent to academic councils of the medical colleges for final comments before approval by the council.

Both president and the vice-president explained that cases of malpractices reported to the PMDC were dealt by the disciplinary committee, which was presently headed by the member legal, Justice Munir A. Sheikh, of the Supreme Court.

They said registration of many doctors had been suspended who were found guilty of professional negligence, besides, many cases were still being investigated and were under process with the disciplinary committee.

They warned that the council would be dealing strictly on the violations of the code of ethics in future.

The PMDC has also taken notice of quackery, which was being practiced widely in the country.