Thirty-second session 
Item 80 of the provisional agenda 

TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT
Draft code on medical ethics
Note by the Secretary-General
	1.	In paragraph 5 of the resolution 31/85 of 13 December 1976, the General Assembly invited the World Health Organization to prepare a draft code on medical ethics relevant to the protection of persons subjected to any form of detention or imprisonment against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and to bring it to the attention of the Assembly ad its thirty-second session. 
	2.	In this connection the Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the members of the General Assembly a letter dated 15 July 1977, which was addressed to him by the director-General of the World Health Organization. 

ANNEX
Letter dated 15 July 1977 from the Director-General of the World health Organization to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of resolution WHA30.32, concerning the development of codes of medical ethics, which was adopted on 18 May 1977 by the Thirtieth World Health Assembly. 

The invitation addressed to WHI by the United Nations General Assembly in resolution 31/85 on the elaboration of a draft code on medical ethics relevant to the protection of persons subjected to any form of detention or imprisonment against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has been brought to the attention of the Thirtieth World Health Assembly. I have been requested to transmit the study undertaken by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS), on behalf of WO in pursuance of this resolution to a further session of the WHO Executive Board for its consideration before being forwarded to the United Nations General Assembly. 

The Thirtieth World Health Assembly also requested me to ask you that this resolution be brought to the attention of the United Nations General at its thirty-second session. 
(Signed) Halfdan T. MAHLER
Director-General 

Appendix 
Resolution adopted by the Thirtieth World Health Assembly on 18 May 1977
“Development of codes of medical ethics”

The Thirtieth World Health Assembly 

Having considered the report of the Director-General on co-ordination within the United Nations System- general matters, [ ]

Recalling the invitations addressed to WHO by the United Nations General Assembly in resolutions 3218 (XXIX); 3453 (XXX); and 31/85 on the elaboration of a draft code on medical ethics relevant to the protection of persons subjected to any form of detention or imprisonment against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

Further recalling resolutions EB55.R64 and EB57,R47 on this question;

Keeping in mind the document prepared by the Director-General, entitled “Health aspects of avoidable maltreatment of prisoners and detainees, which was submitted to the Fifth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders and to the United Nations General Assembly at its thirtieth session;

Considering that the arrangements made by the Director-General with the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) to undertake, on behalf of WHO, a study on the feasibility of a code of medical ethics relevant to torture, adequately meet the terms of resolution EB57.R47;

REQUESTS the Director-General:
	1.	To transmit the study being undertaken by CIOMS and its conclusions to a future session of the Executive Board for its consideration before being forwarded to the United Nations General Assembly; and 
	2.	To inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations of this resolution with the request that it be brought to the attention of the United Nations General Assembly at its thirty-second session. 
1 Document A30/28.