Code of Ethics

PNDS Code of Ethics for the Human Nutrition Professionals

INTRODUCTION

PNDS believes it is in the best interest of the profession and the public it serves to have a Code of Ethics in place that provides guidance to Human Nutrition Professionals (HNPs) in their professional practice and conduct.

PNDS aims to voluntarily adopt a Code of Ethics to reflect the values and ethical principles guiding HNP and to outline commitments and obligations of the HNP to clients, society, self, and the profession.

The Ethics Code in future would apply in its entirety to members of PNDS who are registered as Dietitians (RDs), Diet Technicians (DTs), and Nutritionists (HN) or Nutrition workers (HNW). All of the aforementioned are referred to in the Code as “Human Nutrition Professionals”. Except for aspects solely dealing with registration as a particular category of Human Nutrition Professionals, the Code applies to all members regardless of membership category or registration status. By accepting membership in PNDS and/or accepting and maintaining Registration credentials, members of PNDS agree to abide by the Code.

PRINCIPLES

1. The HNP conducts himself/herself with honesty, integrity, and fairness.
2. The HNP practices dietetics based on scientific principles and current information.
3. The HNP presents authenticated information and interprets controversial information without personal bias, recognizing that justifiable differences of opinion exist.
4. The HNP assumes responsibility and accountability for personal competence in practice, continually striving to increase professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice.
5. The HNP recognizes and exercises professional judgment within the limits of his/her qualifications and collaborates with others, seeks counsel, or makes referrals as appropriate.
6. The HNP provides sufficient information to enable clients and others to make their own informed decisions.
7. The HNP protects confidential information and makes full disclosure about any limitations on his/her ability to guarantee full confidentiality.
8. The HNP provides professional services with objectivity and with respect for the unique needs and values of individuals.
9. The HNP provides professional services in a manner that is sensitive to cultural differences and does not discriminate against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sex, age, or national origin.
10. The HNP does not engage in any kind of harassment in connection with professional practice.
11. The HNP provides objective evaluations of performance for employees and coworkers, candidates for employment, students, professional association memberships, awards, or scholarships. The HNP makes all reasonable effort to avoid bias in any kind of professional evaluation of others.
12. The HNP is alert to situations that might cause a conflict of interest or have the appearance of a conflict. The HNP provides full disclosure when a real or potential conflict of interest arises.
13. The HNP who wishes to inform the public and colleagues of his/her services does so by using factual information. The HNP does not advertise in a false or misleading manner.
14. The HNP promotes or endorses products in a manner that is neither false nor misleading.
15. The HNP permits the use of his/her name for the purpose of certifying that dietetics services have been rendered only if he/she has provided or supervised the provision of those services.
16. The HNP accurately presents professional qualifications and credentials.
    1. The HNP uses PNDS awarded credentials only when the credential is current and authorized by PNDS. The HNP provides accurate information and complies with all requirements of the Commission on Dietetics Registration program in which he/she is seeking initial or continued credentials from PNDS.
    2. The HNP is subject to disciplinary action by PNDS for violating any PNDS Registration requirements or aiding another person in representing himself/herself as PNDS credentialed when he/she is not.
17. The HNP withdraws from professional practice under the following circumstances:
    1. The ability of HNP to practice normally has become doubtful due to any reason e.g. substance abuse, adjudged by a court to be mentally incompetent; has an emotional or mental disability that affects his/her practice in a manner that could harm the client or others.
18. The HNP complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning the profession and is subject to disciplinary action under the following
    

    circumstances:

    1. The HNP has been convicted of a crime under the laws of Pakistan
    2. The HNP has been disciplined by a state, and at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to these principles.
    3. The HNP has committed an act of mal-practice /unethical practice (e.g. supporting harmful products through media or any other way, providing incomplete, irrelevant or tinted information to public/professionals to promote certain products/brands) which is directly related to the practice of the profession as determined by the enquiry committee setup for this purpose by PNDS EC.
19. The HNP supports and promotes high standards of professional practice. The HNP accepts the obligation to protect clients, the public, and the profession by upholding the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics and by reporting alleged violations of the Code through the defined review process of PNDS.