Article 5 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
المادة 5 من نظام مزاولة المهن الصحية
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to practice for the benefit of the individual and society, respecting human life, safety and dignity, observing prevailing customs, and avoiding exploitation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يزاول الممارس الصحي مهنته لمصلحة الفرد والمجتمع في نطاق احترام حق الإنسان في الحياة وسلامته وكرامته، مراعيًا في عمله العادات والتقاليد السائدة في المملكة مبتعدًا عن الاستغلال.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 5 explained in plain English
This article sets the general ethical framework for the work of every healthcare practitioner, whether physician, pharmacist, nurse, technician or others covered by the definition in Article 1.
The article sets four foundations for this work:
- Purpose: the profession is to serve the interest of the individual and society, not the practitioner's interest alone.
- Respect for the person: the practitioner works within respect for a person's right to life, safety and dignity.
- Regard for society: the practitioner observes the customs and traditions prevailing in the Kingdom.
- Integrity: the practitioner avoids exploitation.
The article is general in its wording. It names no specific acts, but it is the foundation on which the detailed duties in the following articles rest, including Article 6, which requires the healthcare practitioner to assist the competent authorities in protecting public health and warding off the dangers that threaten it in peace and in war.
It is preceded by Article 4 on the Minister's power to restrict licensing for some professions to Saudis. For the patient, the article means the right to be treated with respect for their dignity and safety, and not to be exploited. Anyone who believes a healthcare practitioner breached these duties in a particular case may consult a lawyer specialized in healthcare practice and medical malpractice cases.
Practical example
An elderly man visits a clinic in Abha, and the physician tries to persuade him to have many tests his condition does not need, just to increase income. This conduct conflicts with the article's requirement that the profession serve the interest of the individual and society, and with avoiding exploitation.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 5 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
What is the basic duty of a healthcare practitioner?
To practice the profession for the benefit of the individual and society, within respect for a person's right to life, safety and dignity.
Must a physician observe customs and traditions?
Yes. The article requires the healthcare practitioner to observe the customs and traditions prevailing in the Kingdom in their work.
Does the Law prohibit exploiting patients?
Yes. The article requires the healthcare practitioner to avoid exploitation in practicing the profession.
More articles on Duties of the Healthcare Practitioner
- Article 6
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to assist the competent authorities in protecting public health and warding off the dangers that threaten it in peace and in war.
يلتزم الممارس الصحي بمعاونة السلطات المختصة في أداء واجبها نحو حماية الصحة العامة، ودرء الأخطار التي تهددها في السلم والحرب.
- Article 7
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to develop their knowledge and follow developments in their specialty, requires facilities to facilitate their attendance at courses, and prohibits unrecognized or prohibited diagnosis and treatment methods.
أ - يجب على الممارس الصحي أن يعمل على تنمية معلوماته، وأن يتابع التطورات العلمية والاكتشافات الحديثة في مجال تخصصه، وعلى إدارات المنشآت الصحية تسهيل حضوره للندو
- Article 8
The article requires a healthcare practitioner who witnesses or knows that a patient or injured person is in a critical condition to give possible assistance or make sure the person receives the necessary care.
يجب على الممارس الصحي الذي يشهد أو يعلم أن مريضًا أو جريحًا في حالة خطرة أن يقدم له المساعدة الممكنة، أو أن يتأكد من أنه يتلقى العناية الضرورية.
- Article 9
The article requires medical work to aim always at the patient's interest, and prevents the healthcare practitioner from doing work beyond their specialty or means except in a case of necessity.
أ - يجب أن يستهدف العمل الطبي دائمًا مصلحة المريض، وعلى الممارس الصحي أن يبذل جهده لكل مريض. ب - لا يجوز للممارس الصحي- في غيرحالة الضرورة- القيام بعمل يجاوز اخ
- Article 11
The article requires the healthcare practitioner, immediately on examining a patient suspected of being injured by a crime or of having an infectious disease, to notify the competent security and health authorities; the Minister sets the diseases, the authority and the procedures.
يجب على الممارس الصحي فور معاينته لمريض مشتبه في إصابته جنائيًّا، أو إصابته بمرض معد؛ أن يبلغ الجهات الأمنية والصحية المختصة، ويصدر الوزير قرارًا بتحديد الأمراض
- Article 15
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to carry out diagnosis with the necessary care using suitable technical means and those the case calls for, and to give the patient what they request about their condition and test results, accurately and objectively.
يجب على الممارس الصحي أن يجري التشخيص بالعناية اللازمة مستعينًا بالوسائل الفنية الملائمة، وبمن تستدعي ظروف الحالة الاستعانة بهم من الأخصائيين أو المساعدين، وأن
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.