Neminem laedere

At the beginning of their medical practice, physicians take Hippocrates’ Oath. The first principle contained in this oath is “do not harm”. This principle was never constructed as a “laissez faire” policy, but it is still used today to prevent any intervention that is more likely to hurt than to improve human health.

At the beginning of their career, policy makers should take the same oath. It will remind them to intervene only when they have reasonable chance to improve the situation and it will force them to seek more actively evidence that what they are proposing is indeed welfare enhancing.

Luigi Zingales