Who governs medical practice in international waters?

Answer 1

Extremely tough question, and I don't think there is an actual answer. On a military vessel, which is typically considered to be soverign territory of its homeland, even when in International Waters, the laws of the home country would apply. Other than that... Most laws including Admiralty Law place the Captain of the vessel as the supreme authority in International Waters, so his (or her) word would serve to address legal concerns. Typically, the captain would deligate this responsibility to the medical officer (if one exists), or to whomever is most qualified. If all parties are equally qualified, tradition has the captain performing first aid. Once this hits court, however, it's a mess. The possibilities are: * Port of Origin on this voyage * "Port" of Registration (which may not even be a port at all). * Ownership of the boat (which may be an international corporation) * Destination of the boat. * Nationality of the caregiver or the victim * The dictums of the World Court None of these is considered a viable answer at this time.