A code of ethics. The 1986 AANS presidential address.

More than 50 years after the founding of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as the Harvey Cushing Society, the delineation of a Code of Ethics constitutes a milestone for neurosurgeons. The reasons for developing the Code, its historical basis, and the continuing need to reinterpret any code in view of continuing changes in neurosurgical practice and delivery of health care are discussed.