[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Medical ethics](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/) › [Ethics in clinical practice](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/areas/practice/) › Treating family, friends and oneself

# Treating family, friends and oneself

- Topic

Affection clouds clinical judgement: Law 23 bars doctors from treating family for serious illness or addiction, except in emergencies or with no other doctor.

Updated Nov 13, 2026

## Key points

- Law 23, art. 26: no treating family for serious illness or drug addiction, except in emergencies or with no other doctor.
- Family = spouse, up to fourth degree of consanguinity, second of affinity and first civil degree.
- The risk is loss of objectivity and of the patient's autonomy.
- Minor problems: guidance yes, but with the same rigour of examination and records.
- Doctors need their own doctor too.

## What it is

Treating a relative, a friend or oneself feels like an act of care, but it endangers objectivity. The doctor may skip intimate questions or examinations, play down or exaggerate symptoms, skip the medical record, and make it harder for the patient to seek a second opinion or refuse a treatment. Confidentiality within the family also suffers. Law 23 of 1981 (art. 26) says the doctor shall not treat family members or dependants in cases of serious illness or drug addiction, except in emergencies or when there is no other doctor in the area. The regulation defines family as the spouse and relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity, the second degree of affinity and the first civil degree (adoption). The law does not forbid dealing with a minor problem or helping a relative find their way; the risk grows with severity, intimacy and the length of care. Treating oneself has the same problems: the World Medical Association asks doctors to seek appropriate care for their own health.

## Key facts

- Law 23 of 1981, art. 26: no treating family or dependants for serious illness or drug addiction, except in emergencies or when there is no other doctor in the area.
- Decree 780 of 2016, art. 2.7.2.2.1.1.19 (Decree 3380 of 1981, art. 19): family means the spouse and relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity, second of affinity and first civil degree.
- Law 23, art. 27: the doctor treats a colleague and close dependent family without charging fees; treating a colleague is not the same as treating oneself.
- Clinical risks: incomplete history and examination, no record, bias from affection, difficulty breaking bad news and difficulty for the patient to refuse the plan.
- World Medical Association (2025): doctors are responsible for maintaining their own health and should be able to seek help without fear of sanctions.

## In clinical practice

- A brother asks over the phone for a prescription for mild back pain: guidance is acceptable; prescribing without examining or recording is not.
- The doctor's mother is diagnosed with cancer: the son can accompany her and help her understand, but another team leads the treatment (art. 26).
- In a municipality with no other doctor, the rural doctor treats a partner's emergency: the law allows it; the care is recorded like any other patient's.
- Self-prescribing psychoactive drugs or self-managing depression delays help and raises risk; the right step is to have one's own doctor.

## Legal framework in Colombia

- Law 23 of 1981, arts. 26 and 27; Decree 3380 of 1981, art. 19, compiled in Decree 780 of 2016 (art. 2.7.2.2.1.1.19).
- The law is limited to serious illness and drug addiction; otherwise prudent judgement and the general duties (medical record, consent, confidentiality) apply.
- No specific Colombian rule on self-prescribing was found; the prescribing rules and those for specially controlled drugs apply equally.
- Official texts verified on 2026-11-13 on funcionpublica.gov.co and minsalud.gov.co.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## When does Law 23 of 1981 forbid a doctor from treating family?

In serious illness or drug addiction, except in emergencies or when there is no other doctor in the area (art. 26).

## Who counts as the doctor's family for art. 26 of Law 23?

The spouse and relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity, second of affinity and first civil degree (Decree 3380 of 1981, art. 19).

## Why is it problematic for a doctor to treat a relative's serious illness?

Because affection biases judgement: questions or examinations are skipped, little is recorded, bad news is hard to give and the patient is less free to seek another opinion or refuse the plan.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/medical-ethics/treating-family-friends-and-oneself/)

## Connections

## Related 4

- [Fidelity and dual loyalty](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/fidelity-and-dual-loyalty/)
- [Ley 23 de 1981: the Colombian medical ethics law](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/ley-23-de-1981-the-colombian-medical-ethics-law/)
- [Professional secrecy and confidentiality](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/professional-secrecy-and-confidentiality/)
- [An ill, substance-impaired or incompetent colleague: what to do](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/an-ill-substance-impaired-or-incompetent-colleague-what-to-do/)

[← All of medical ethics](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/)

Educational content on ethics and health law; not legal advice. Laws and case law change: each page links the official text and says when it was last checked. For a real case, read the text in force and ask a lawyer or the medical ethics tribunal.

Sources: [Ley 23 de 1981, arts. 26 and 27](https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=68760) (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo, 1981); [Decreto 780 de 2016, art. 2.7.2.2.1.1.19 (compiles art. 19 of Decree 3380 of 1981)](https://www.minsalud.gov.co/Normatividad_Nuevo/Decreto%200780%20de%202016.pdf) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, 2016); [WMA Statement on Physicians Well-being (revised 2025)](https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-statement-on-physicians-well-being/) (World Medical Association, 2025).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

---
Source: https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/treating-family-friends-and-oneself/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/treating-family-friends-and-oneself/