A Study of the Components of Medical Ethics in Ancient Persian Literature and Its Comparison with Modern Medical Ethics

Findings from ancient Persian literary texts indicate that the issue of professional medical ethics and the correct and logical relationship between a doctor and a patient has not been hidden from the eyes of writers and poets. In addition to the ethical advice of famous physicians, such as Ismail Jorjani, Ibn Sina, Razi, and other ancient Persian literary works have similarly addressed this issue and provided valuable ethical advice to physicians. The society of literature, using their creative and poetic nature, have recounted the relationship between a physician and a patient, sometimes in the form of stories and sometimes in explicit language. Although the field of medical knowledge and technology has made significant progress in recent decades and modern medical ethics has replaced traditional ethics, it seems that some acts and rights related to patients in the contemporary era are the moral heritage contained in ancient works, and in order to develop and complete ethical principles, we can return to this valuable heritage and support. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine and examine the components of medical ethics in ancient Persian literary texts and to compare them with modern medical ethics.

The present qualitative study was conducted in a descriptive-analytical manner with the aim of identifying, classifying, extracting and analyzing the components of professional medical ethics reflected in some ancient Persian literature texts up to the end of the eighth century AH and its conformity with the principles of modern medical ethics. The data collection tool in the present research was through library research and the research data was collected through the examination of primary and secondary sources, articles related to medical ethics, searching in databases and search engines. The works studied include the poetic works: Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, Nezami Ganjavi's works, Hadigheha al-Haqeha by Hakim Sana'i, Rumi's Masnavi, Saadi's Garden, Hafez's Divan and prose works including: Qabus Nameh, Chaharmakaleh, Kalileh va Demneh and Saadi's Golestan.

A number of medical laws and ethics, especially the human relations between doctors and patients in contemporary times, are consistent and in line with the moral heritage contained in ancient works, and in order to develop and complete the principles of professional ethics, we can return to this valuable heritage and support.

 The results of the present study indicated that ancient Iranian literature has a special place for medical ethics, and the ethical and cultural teachings reflected in ancient literary works are approved and recommended by medical ethics experts and are consistent with the principles of modern medical ethics.