AMA Code of Medical Ethics
Definition
The American Medical Association's voluntary professional standards document, first adopted 1847 and updated continuously. Opinion 9.7 addresses expert testimony; Opinion 3.2 addresses confidentiality and its exceptions.
- Publisher
- American Medical Association
- First adopted
- 1847
- Testimony guidance
- Opinion 9.7
- Confidentiality guidance
- Opinion 3.2
Common questions
Is the AMA Code legally binding on a physician acting as an expert witness?+
No, it is a voluntary professional standard rather than law, but state medical boards and courts frequently reference it when evaluating whether a physician-expert's testimony conduct met professional norms, so it carries real practical weight even without direct legal force.
What does the testimony opinion actually require of a physician expert witness?+
It calls for testimony that is honest, based on current knowledge and a fair review of the facts, and free from compensation arrangements that depend on the outcome of the case, distinguishing legitimate expert testimony from advocacy for a party.
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