Principles of respect for autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence guide trauma-informed care. Care ethics should also support this framework for responding to the health needs of trafficked patients.

The AMA Code of Medical Ethics’ opinions related to language and hierarchy in medicine.

Students and residents might not fully use available interpreter services due to time pressures and a lack of incentives from supervisors.

Follow simple rules, such as checking whether patients comprehend what they’ve been told, to help patients overcome barriers posed by clinical jargon.

AMA Journal of Ethics theme editor Zujaja Tauqeer, a third-year medical student at Harvard Medical School, interviewed Donald A. Barr, MD, PhD, about caring for patients with limited English language and health literacy schools.

AMA Journal of Ethics theme editor Terri Davis, a third-year MD student at West Virginia University School of Medicine, interviewed Ranit Mishori, MD, about how to respond to incidents of suspected human trafficking in health care settings.

Access to language services is required when caring for patients with limited English proficiency.

Physicians caring for trafficking victims should know about applicable criminal and human rights law and mandatory reporting requirements.

The AMA Code of Medical Ethics' opinions related to human trafficking.

Public health surveillance for infectious disease provides a model for a mandatory reporting policy for human trafficking, which poses risks for survivors.