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Mainz The parliament of the medical profession spoke out in favor of democracy, pluralism and human rights at the 128th German Doctors’ Day in Mainz. The President of the Federal Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, read out a corresponding resolution today before the agenda began and said that he wanted to put it forward as a framework. The delegates responded with thunderous applause, many rising from their chairs.

An excerpt: The 128th German Doctors’ Day 2024 in Mainz is adopting this resolution in the awareness that democracy and human rights are currently more threatened worldwide and in Germany than they have been for decades. Inhumane speeches, actions and plans, a trivialization of the National Socialist era, attacks on Jewish people and institutions, racist attacks and attacks on people who seek protection from persecution and expulsion in Germany are deeply shocking and completely unacceptable. All doctors in Germany are called upon to oppose this with great determination, moral courage and solidarity. Never again is now!

The resolution emphasizes that doctors serve the health of the individual and the population. They practiced their profession according to their conscience, the dictates of medical ethics and humanity. The Geneva yellow card applies. Patients would receive medical care regardless of their origin, gender, religion, social status or sexual orientation.

The text of the resolution also particularly acknowledges the collaboration between doctors from different nations and cultures. It enriches medical work, but is also essential for medical progress, for example.

A special historical responsibility is seen in Germany: The deep guilt in which the German medical profession became entangled during the time of National Socialism results in a lasting call to vigilantly and resolutely counter any resurgence of racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination in Germany. Fundamental values ​​of humanity and medical ethics were betrayed during the Nazi era.

With the resolution, the 128th German Medical Association reinforces the Berlin Declaration of the World Medical Association against racism in medicine, which was passed in 2022. Doctors in Germany stand together with other professional groups in the healthcare sector in their commitment to democracy and human rights, as was expressed in the joint declaration of over 200 associations and organizations from the German healthcare sector in March of this year.

Posters with an excerpt from the Declaration of Geneva were displayed in the delegates’ seats in the Rheingoldhalle in Mainz. It reads in several languages: I will not allow considerations of age, illness or disability, faith, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social status or any other factor to come between my duties and mine kick my patient. © ggr/aerzteblatt.de