I. Declaration of Principles

The Member Organizations of HCEA acknowledge and publicly declare that the profession of healthcare exhibiting in serving the legitimate interests of its members is dedicated fundamentally to the goals of efficiency and professionalism in its field. In the performance of this mission, we pledge ourselves to:

1. Conduct ourselves professionally in accord with the public welfare.
2. To be guided in all our activities by the generally accepted standards of truth, accuracy, ethical practice and good taste.
3. To support efforts designed to increase the proficiency of the profession by encouraging the continuous development of sound training and resourceful education programs.

II. Code of Professional Standards

This Code of Professional Standards for the practice of Healthcare exhibiting is adopted by the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association to promote and maintain high standards of performance and conduct among its members, in order that membership in the Association as a profession; that the healthcare public may have increasing confidence in its integrity; and that the practice of healthcare exhibiting may best serve the public interest.

1. Every member has a general duty of fair dealing towards customers, employees (past and present), fellow members and the general public.
2. Every member shall conduct its professional activities in accord with the public welfare and shall have the affirmative duty of adhering to generally accepted standards of accuracy, truth and good taste.
3. A member shall not engage in any practice which tends to compromise or corrupt the integrity of exhibiting channels of communication, not to intentionally disseminate false or misleading information.
4. A member shall not intentionally injure the professional reputation or practice of another member, not employ methods tending to the derogation of another member’s clients, products, business or services.
5. A member shall attempt to discourage those practices which introduce elements of shoddiness, demi-truths, sensationalism or illegality, which would thereby tend to bring discredit upon the entire field.
6. A member shall cooperate with all fellow members in upholding this code.

It shall, in the final analysis, be the object of this Code and of the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association in whole to promote a high level of ethical and legal conduct among its members, both in their relationship with each other, and with the entire medical community, so as to enjoy the merited respect and trust of members of the healthcare professions, as well as the public at large.