Work

The World Medical Association: The Voice of Physicians in the Turbulence Between Ethical Rigor and Geopolitical Imperatives

Year: 2026

Type: editorial

Abstract: This editorial examined the enduring ties between medicine and political power, highlighting how the World Medical Association (WMA) arose in response to recurring ethical crises involving physicians. Created after the Second World War alongside new international institutions, the WMA aimed to protect professional autonomy and defend medical neutrality. Over the decades, it has acted as an ethical counterbalance within global health governance, especially through collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet history shows that political pressures have repeatedly compromised medical practice, generating dual-loyalty dilemmas, human rights violations, and scandals that erode public trust. The WMA has sometimes responded firmly—suspending national associations, issuing statements during conflicts, or challenging unethical state policies—though its actual influence remains contested. Internal political divisions have often slowed or limited its actions. Today’s (ie, mid-March 2026) severe degradation of health systems in conflict zones reinforces the need to renew core ethical principles through collective responsibility and vigilance.

Source: International Journal of Health Policy and Management

DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.9649

Authors: Meriem Gaddas, Helmi Ben Saad

Institutions: Hôpital Farhat Hached, University of Sousse

Language: English

Topic: Ethics and bioethics in healthcare

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: University of Cape Town