Section 297-8-1 - The following code of ethics is adopted by the BoardLicensed chiropractic doctors and assistants shall:
A. respect the rights, and dignity and person of each patient;B. render to each patient quality care and make timely referrals to other health care professionals as may be appropriate;C. clearly and fully explain alternative treatments available when appropriate, including potential referral to other health care professionals;D. avoid treating patients when one's judgment or competence is impaired;E. refrain from undertaking any chiropractic activity when they know or should know that their personal problems are likely to lead to harm to a patient, colleague, or other person to whom they may owe a professional obligation;F. be alert to signs of, and to obtain assistance for, their personal problems at an early stage, in order to prevent significantly impaired performance;G. when a chiropractic doctor becomes aware of personal problems that may interfere with performing work-related duties adequately, the chiropractor must take appropriate measures, such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, and determine whether s/he should limit, suspend, or terminate his/her work-related duties;H. report to the Board a licensed chiropractic doctor or assistant whose judgment or competence, while treating patients, is impaired by chemical dependency or physical or mental incapacity;I. conduct a practice that is nondiscriminatory;J. respect the confidentiality of the records and any other personal information imparted by the patient;K. keep the patient informed by explaining treatment and expectations of results and avoid making promises or creating inappropriate expectations;L. protect the welfare and dignity of patients participating in research and obtain informed consent for research protocols;M. contribute toward raising the standards of the profession; N. refrain from entering into or promising personal, professional, financial, or other relationships if it appears likely that such a relationship reasonably might impair the chiropractor from effectively performing his/her function as a chiropractor, or might harm or exploit the other party;O. when feasible, refrain from taking on professional obligations when preexisting relationships would create a risk of harm;P. if, due to unforeseen factors, a potentially harmful professional relationship has arisen, attempt to resolve it with due regard for the best interest of the affected person and maximal compliance with the Code of Ethics;Q. terminate a professional relationship when it becomes reasonably clear that the patient no longer needs the service, is not benefiting, or is being harmed by continued service;R. provide accurate information regarding education, training and experience, professional affiliations and certifications;S. make public statements regarding the effectiveness of chiropractic services that are within the generally accepted experience of the profession as a whole or within the individual practitioner's experience;T. respect the integrity of other forms of health care, make efforts to build bridges and to develop collaborative relationships to achieve the best possible care for individual patients;U. abstain from sexual acts or contacts with a patient, not solicit sexual acts or contacts from a patient, not commit an act of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct with a patient, or commit an act punishable as a sex offense; andV. make no material false statements on any Board prescribed reporting form or fail to provide adequate documentation verifying completion of the continuing education requirements, when requested at the Board's discretion.