History and Charter
MSF: 40 years of independence
MSF History
We are Doctors Without Borders.
We help people worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistics and administrative staff - bound together by our charter. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation.
Our Charter
All of our members agree to honour the following principles:
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MSF provides assistance to people in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions.
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MSF observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to deliver aid and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.
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Members undertake to respect their professional code of ethics and to maintain complete independence from all political, economic or religious powers.
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Members understand the risks and dangers of the assignments they carry out and make no claim for themselves or their assignments for any form of compensation other than that which the association might be able to afford them.