Remember, We Are By Your Sıde!

Ensuring that an individual is not only physically healthy but also mentally and socially well touches upon the domain of health law, to some extent.

The most significant common denominator between medicine and law is the human factor. A person's ability to live a healthy life and sustain it brings along certain rights and responsibilities. Fundamental rights and freedoms of an individual are intertwined with the preservation of life, bodily integrity, and the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle

The concept of health implies a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health not only as the absence of illness and disability but also as the necessity of being in a state of complete well-being in body, mind, and social aspects. With such an explanation, various dimensions of health come into play. Ensuring that an individual is not only physically healthy but also mentally and socially well touches upon the domain of health law, to some extent.

Health law is not limited to the dimension of the patient alone; it is extensive and comprehensive. Although it is primarily centered around the patient-physician relationship, the scope of health law goes beyond that. It encompasses various aspects, including the legal and criminal responsibilities of physicians, administrative duties, the responsibilities and obligations of both patients and doctors, the rights of healthcare professionals, and the legal foundations regarding patient information and consent in medical interventions. All of these elements are regulated within the framework of health law.

Looking at the current situation in our country, we sadly and anxiously observe the state of the sacred profession of medicine. Physicians, who were once regarded as a revered vocation, are now facing disappointment and concern. During the pandemic, doctors have been sacrificing their time, family, and even their lives to practice this profession, yet they no longer wish to continue. Enduring 36-hour shifts, being pushed to see patients every 5 minutes, and a healthcare system that encourages mistakes, coupled with patient relatives who seek to blame doctors for the system's problems, and the inhumane verbal and physical violence incidents that we witness in the media daily, create a distressing environment. The economic and social conditions fail to match the efforts they put in, and they find themselves suffocating under the weight of multi-million-dollar lawsuits related to medical malpractice and harassment (mobbing) that persist in both public and private healthcare institutions. Physicians and healthcare workers have lost hope for their future within their own homeland. All they wanted, in essence, was to be understood, supported, and defended.

This situation has driven physicians and healthcare workers to seek a helping hand, understanding, and support, leading them to turn to civil society organizations. Our greatest motivation on this path has been to demonstrate to our physician and healthcare colleagues that they are not alone and that they have support in their journey. We aim to empower them with legal knowledge about their rights, support them in asserting those rights, and encourage them to demand what is rightfully theirs!

At this point, our High Health Law Association, which laid its foundations in 2020 and officially established in 2022 with the slogan 'We are the operative force of healthcare professionals,' has become operational. The primary goal of our association is to discuss and find solutions to the legal and administrative issues faced by doctors, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals working in medical, pharmacy, veterinary, and psychological counseling practices.

Our association is established in Istanbul and does not have branches in other cities. The High Health Law Association also aims to inform and enhance the knowledge of lawyers and other legal professionals involved in this field in Health Law and Medical Malpractice areas. It will help them specialize and gain experience in this field. The High Health Law Association aims to be the most prestigious institution in this domain.

To healthcare professionals who strive to practice their profession under various social and legal threats, the High Health Law Association wants to remind that they do not have to succumb to these threats and promises to provide all kinds of support.

Remember, We Are By Your Sıde!