Founded in 1986, the German Academy of Ethics in Medicine (AEM) is an interdisciplinary and interprofessional society for medical ethics. The academy conceives of itself as an independent forum for different standpoints and convictions. Amongst its members are physicians, nurses, philosophers, theologians and lawyers as well as members of other professions.

The AEM is led by the objective to promote public as well as scientific discourse on ethical questions in medicine, healing professions and the health system.
Its focus in work is (among other things) on carrying out conferences and symposia, on the publication of the journal "Ethik in der Medizin", on the promotion of young scientists and also on the qualification of persons who are working in clinical ethics consultations.

In 1992 the Information and Documentation Centre on Ethics in Medicine (IDEM) was established at the AEM. Main task of IDEM is to establish and maintain the German literature database ETHMED.
The AEM is member of the workgroup for scientific medical associations (AWMF) and the European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME).