title: Guidelines for ethical behavior relating to clinical practice issues in neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic medicine.
abstract: The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) developed guidelines to formalize the ethical standards that neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic (EDx) physicians should observe in their clinical and scientific activities. Neuromuscular and EDx medicine is a subspecialty of medicine that focuses on evaluation, diagnosis, and comprehensive medical management, including rehabilitation of individuals with neuromuscular disorders. Physicians working in this subspecialty focus on disorders of the motor unit, including muscle, neuromuscular junction, axon, plexus, nerve root, anterior horn cell, and the peripheral nerves (motor and sensory). The neuromuscular and EDx physician's goal is to diagnose and treat these conditions to mitigate their impact and improve the patient's quality of life. The guidelines are consistent with the Principles of Medical Ethics adopted by the American Medical Association and represent a revision of previous AANEM guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Neurosurgery & Brain Repair, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Naomi A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: De Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Raghav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Govindarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: MDA Clinic and ALS Center, Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders, Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States
keywords: electrodiagnostic medicine; ethics; genetic testing; informed consent; neuromuscular medicine