Ejercicio profesional y amenazas a la libertad del médico. ¿Lex artis oi lex civitatis?

The current practice of medicine is subject to various legal and regulatory requirements, economic and technical considerations, as well as external factors and internal factors inherent to personal and professional ethics. These circumstances are examined, along with how they interact—positively or negatively—with medical practice, thereby limiting the professional’s freedom to make decisions. A physician’s professional freedom consists of the ability to exercise autonomy in choosing what is right for their patient, with the implicit responsibility that this entails. The role of clinical guidelines is discussed, as well as that of authority and oversigth actions, the effects of limited resources, access to medical records, and the physician’s personal physical and moral condition. The role of lex artis is highlighted in relation to fulfilling the purpose of medicine in patient care.