Conselho Federal de Medicina
Encyclopedia
The Conselho Federal de Medicina (Federal Council of Medicine, in Portuguese idiom -- abbreviated CFM) is the Brazil
ian public agency, an autarchy of the Ministry of Work and Employment which is officially in charge of professional regulation and medical licensing in the area of medicine
in the country. It is headquartered in Brasília
, in the federal district
.
The CFM is represented by a Regional Council in every one of the Brazilian states, which have essentially the same mission as the Federal council at state level, including issuing the annual license to practice medicine to physician
s, which is valid within the state, only. The Councils are supported by annual contributions required of all those practicing medicine in Brazil. The councilors are necessarily doctors, who are elected by their peers for a purely honorary office, without any remuneration
.
In addition to the notary
functions, such as professional registration of doctors and their titles, the Federal Council and the Medical Board are, under law, the supervisory bodies of professional ethics, which it must ensure and work, by all means at its disposal, towards the perfect performance of ethical medicine and the prestige and good reputation of the profession.
To fulfill its statutory functions, the Regional Councils function as courts, serving complaints against physicians and establishing the ethical and professional punishment
s when there is evidence of ethical violations. The penalties, as provided by law, may consist of confidential warning, private censure
, public censure, suspension of professional practice for 30 days and forfeiture of professional practice. The decisions of regional councils can be appeal
ed to the Federal Council.
The Federal Council of Medicine is governed by an elected executive board and a council. It has dozens of technical committees in charge of studying and issuing recommendations and decrees related to the practice of medicine.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian public agency, an autarchy of the Ministry of Work and Employment which is officially in charge of professional regulation and medical licensing in the area of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in the country. It is headquartered in Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, in the federal district
Federal district
Federal districts are a type of administrative division of a federation, under the direct control of a federal government. They exist in various countries and states all over the world.-United States:...
.
The CFM is represented by a Regional Council in every one of the Brazilian states, which have essentially the same mission as the Federal council at state level, including issuing the annual license to practice medicine to physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s, which is valid within the state, only. The Councils are supported by annual contributions required of all those practicing medicine in Brazil. The councilors are necessarily doctors, who are elected by their peers for a purely honorary office, without any remuneration
Remuneration
Remuneration is the total compensation that an employee receives in exchange for the service they perform for their employer. Typically, this consists of monetary rewards, also referred to as wage or salary...
.
In addition to the notary
Notary
A notary is a lawyer or person with legal training who is licensed by the state to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents...
functions, such as professional registration of doctors and their titles, the Federal Council and the Medical Board are, under law, the supervisory bodies of professional ethics, which it must ensure and work, by all means at its disposal, towards the perfect performance of ethical medicine and the prestige and good reputation of the profession.
To fulfill its statutory functions, the Regional Councils function as courts, serving complaints against physicians and establishing the ethical and professional punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
s when there is evidence of ethical violations. The penalties, as provided by law, may consist of confidential warning, private censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
, public censure, suspension of professional practice for 30 days and forfeiture of professional practice. The decisions of regional councils can be appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
ed to the Federal Council.
The Federal Council of Medicine is governed by an elected executive board and a council. It has dozens of technical committees in charge of studying and issuing recommendations and decrees related to the practice of medicine.