Thomas Percival

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Thomas Percival

1740-1804

English physician who helped lay the foundations for modern medical ethics. Percival, and colleagues Benjamin Rush (an American) and the Scottish John Gregory, established the first clear set of ethics, codes of conduct for physicians, standards of practice, and expected physician etiquette and behavior. These were also the first standards to set the level of confidentiality expected between a patient and physician. Many of these ethical standards are still in use today.

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