As practitioners of an autonomous profession, Medical Laboratory Technologist/Scientists have the responsibility to contribute from their sphere of professional competence to the general wellbeing of the community.

The Code of Ethics is a resource for the profession and a support for the individual in everyday practice and in challenging situations. At the same time, they are society’s guarantee that the Medical Laboratory Technologist/Scientists practises the profession in an ethically sound manner.

Duty to the Global Society

Medical Laboratory Technologist/Scientists shall:

1. Be dedicated to the use of medical laboratory science to benefit humanity
2. Perform biomedical research to improve and develop public health globally
3. Be responsible for establishing new standards and develop existing standards for improved laboratory practice and patient safety
4. Take responsibility and play a leading role towards issues regarding the global and local environment

Duty to the Client

Medical Laboratory Technologist/Scientists shall:

1. Be responsible for the logical process from the acquisition of the specimen to the production of data and the final report of the test result
2. Be accountable for the quality and integrity of medical laboratory services
3. Exercise professional judgment, skill and care while meeting international standards
4. Maintain strict confidentiality of patient/client information and results of laboratory analysis
5. Safeguard the dignity and privacy of patients/clients
6. Implement scientific advances that benefit the patient/client and improve the delivery of results of laboratory analysis

Duty to colleagues, the profession and other members of the health team

Medical Laboratory Technologist/Scientists shall:

1. Uphold and maintain the dignity and respect of the profession and maintain a reputation of honesty, integrity and reliability
2. Continuously improve professional skills and knowledge
3. Actively seek to establish cooperative and harmonious working relationships with other health professionals
4. Provide expertise and advise, teach and counsel students, colleagues and other health professionals
5. Be loyal to the policies, laws and legislations which apply to the workplace, as long as they do not conflict with the professional ethical guidelines

The Code of Ethics is based on the code of ethics that was adopted by the IAMLT* General Assembly of Delegates at the 20th IAMLT Congress in Dublin, Ireland 1992 and had since been revised at the IFBLS 29th World Congress in Nairobi 2010.

*International Association of Medical Laboratory Technologists (IAMLT) was changed to International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (IFBLS) in 2002 by the General Assembly of Delegates at the 25th World Congress in Orlando, USA.