Code of Ethics

Fundamental Principles

Members of the Canadian College of Microbiologists accept that the following fundamental principles advance their profession and uphold its integrity and dignity. All members of the College are required to comply with the administration thereof. Failure to comply may be cause for termination of membership in the College.

Members will:
A) Use their knowledge and skills for the advancement of human welfare.
B) Be honest and impartial in their interactions with the public, their employers, their clients, patients in whose diagnosis and treatment they are involved, their colleagues, their students, and their employers.
C) Strive to increase the competence and prestige of the profession of microbiology by responsible action and by sharing the results of their research through academic, commercial, or public service.
D) Endeavor to continue to expand their professional knowledge and skills, in support of the aims of the college.
Canons to these fundamental principles are subtended the following Canons of Ethics:
Members will:
1. Recognize a duty to the public to propagate a true understanding of science. They will avoid making statements known to be premature, false, misleading, or exaggerated and will discourage any use of microbiology contrary to the welfare of human kind. They will work for proper and beneficent application of scientific discoveries and will call to the attention of the public or the appropriate authorities misuses of microbiology or of information derived from microbiology.
2. Be encouraged to communicate knowledge obtained in their research through discussions with their peers and through publications in the scientific literature.
3. Will strive in their scientific publications for accuracy not only in the reporting and interpretation of their observations, but also in the proper citation of pertinent previous contributions by others.
4. Endeavor to recognize conflicts of interest and to avoid the abuse of privileged positions. Such privileged positions include, but are not limited to, (i) the review and evaluation of manuscripts and grant applications, (ii) evaluation of candidates for employment or promotion, (iii) Canadian College of Microbiology committee positions, (iv) service in consulting activities, (v) access to specimen material and information regarding their sources, (vi) student guidance, and (vii) simultaneous service in profit-making and not-for-profit organizations.
5. Microbiologists recognize their responsibility to make available to other members of the profession the unique materials that were the source of published data, so far as this does not infringe upon proprietary rights.
6. Microbiologists recognize responsibilities to students, technicians, and other associates working under their supervision to consider them colleagues, to provide training where required, and to assign appropriate recognition to their contributions. By direction and example these colleagues should be taught adherence to the ethical standards herein described.
7. Members shall not represent any position as being that of the Canadian College of Microbiology unless that position has been approved by the appropriate unit of the Canadian College of Microbiology.
8. Bring to the attention of the Board any breaches of this Code of Ethics.
9. Microbiologists accepting membership in the Canadian College of Microbiology by that action agree to abide by this Code of Ethics.