EATON VANCE VARIABLE TRUST
N-1A/A, EX-99.(P)(3), 2000-11-17
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                                                                  Exhibit (p)(3)

                              ORBIMED ADVISERS INC.
                              ---------------------
                                 CODE OF ETHICS
                                 --------------


1.   STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES

     This Code of Ethics ("Code") expresses the policy and procedures of OrbiMed
Advisers Inc. (the "Adviser"), related to any registered investment company that
the  Adviser  manages  ("Fund").  This Code is designed to ensure that no Access
Person  takes  advantage  of his or  her  position,  or  places  his or her  own
interests above those of a Fund.

     Rule 17j-l  under the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as  amended,  (the
"Act") makes it unlawful for certain  persons in connection with the purchase or
sale of securities to, among other things, engage in any act, practice or course
of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon a Fund. In
compliance  with Rule 17j-1,  this Code contains  provisions that are reasonably
necessary to eliminate the possibility of any such conduct.

2.   DEFINITIONS

     "Access Person" shall mean an Advisory Person,  or a director or officer of
the  Adviser,  or a  director,  officer  or  employee  of a Fund  who is also an
employee or officer of the Adviser.

     "Advisory Person" means any employee of the Adviser who, in connection with
his or her  regular  functions  or duties,  makes,  participates  in, or obtains
information  regarding,  the purchase or sale of a Security by a Fund,  or whose
functions  relate to the  making of any  recommendations  with  respect  to such
purchases  or sales of a Security  for a Fund,  and shall  include  any  natural
person  in a  control  relationship  with a  Fund  or the  Adviser  who  obtains
information concerning  recommendations made regarding the purchase or sale of a
Security for a Fund.

     "Beneficial  ownership" shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would
be in determining whether any person who has or shares,  directly or indirectly,
through any contract, arrangement, understanding,  relationship, or otherwise, a
direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a Security.  "Pecuniary interest" means
the  opportunity,  directly  or  indirectly,  to profit  or share in any  profit
derived  from a  transaction  in the  Security.  "Indirect  pecuniary  interest"
includes,  but is not limited  to, an interest in a Security  held by members of
your immediate family who share your household,  including your spouse, children
and stepchildren, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and in-laws.

     "Board" shall mean the board of directors or board of trustees of the Fund.

     "Compliance  Officer"  shall mean the compliance  officer  appointed by the
Adviser.


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     "Investment  Personnel"  means the Portfolio  Manager and those persons who
provide  information and advice to the Portfolio Manager or who help execute the
Portfolio Manager' decisions (e.g. securities analysts and traders).

     "Initial Public Offering" means an offering of Securities  registered under
the  Securities  Act by or for an issuer of such  Securities  which  immediately
before the  registration,  was not  subject  to the  reporting  requirements  of
Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     "Portfolio Manager" shall mean those persons who have direct responsibility
and authority to make investment decisions for a Fund.

     "Preclearance  List"  shall  mean the  list  maintained  by the  Compliance
Officer of all Securities eligible for purchase or sale by a Fund.

     "Private  Offering"  shall mean a transaction in Securities  that is exempt
from registration under Section 5 of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2)
of the Securities Act or Regulation D or Rule 144A promulgated thereunder.

     "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     "Security" shall mean any note,  stock,  treasury stock,  bond,  debenture,
evidence  of  indebtedness,  certificate  of interest  or  participation  in any
profit-sharing   agreement,   collateral-trust   certificate,   pre-organization
certificate  or   subscription,   transferable   share,   investment   contract,
voting-trust  certificate,  certificate  of deposit for a  security,  fractional
undivided interest in oil, gas or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle,
option on any  security or index of  securities,  or  generally  any interest or
instrument  commonly known as a "security" or any certificate of  participation,
warrant or right to subscribe or purchase any of the  foregoing.  Security  does
not include securities issued by the U.S. Government,  money-market instruments,
or shares of registered open-end investment companies (mutual funds).

     The  "purchase or sale of a Security"  includes,  among other  things,  the
buying, selling, or writing of an option to purchase or sell a Security.

3.   PROHIBITED SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

     The  prohibitions  described  below will only apply to a  transaction  in a
Security in which the  designated  person has, or by reason of such  transaction
acquires  or  disposes,  any direct or  indirect  beneficial  ownership  in such
Security ("Securities Transaction").

     A.   Preclearance

     No Access  Person shall execute a Securities  Transaction  in a Security on
the  Preclearance  List  without  obtaining  the prior  written  consent  of the
Compliance  Officer.  Furthermore,  should written consent be given,  Investment
Personnel are required to disclose such  investment  when  participating  in the
Fund's  subsequent  consideration  of an  investment  in  Securities of the same

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<PAGE>
issuer.  In such  circumstances,  the Fund's decision to purchase  Securities of
such issuer should be subject to an independent review by the Compliance Officer
or president of the Adviser.

     B.   Blackout Trading Periods

     (i) Access Persons. No Access Person shall execute a Securities Transaction
in a  Security  on a day when a Fund  has a  pending  buy or sell  order in that
Security until the Fund's order is executed or withdrawn. No Access Person shall
engage in a short sale of a Security in which the Fund holds a position.

     (ii) Advisory  Persons.  Within the  seventy-two  hour period before a Fund
trades in a Security, no Advisory Person shall execute a Securities  Transaction
in that Security.  (Recognizing  that most  Securities  Transactions by Advisory
Persons will only inadvertently fall within the seventy-two hour period before a
Fund trades in a Security, such Securities Transactions by Advisory Persons will
not be deemed violations of this Code provided that the Advisory Person complies
with the remedial procedures outlined in this paragraph.) Within the seventy-two
hour period after a Fund trades in a Security,  no Advisory Person shall execute
a Securities  Transaction  in that Security that is opposite to the  transaction
executed  by that Fund  (i.e.,  Advisory  Person buys and Fund sells or Advisory
Person  sells and Fund  buys).  If an  Advisory  Person  executes  a  Securities
Transaction during the relevant blackout trading periods,  such Advisory Persons
shall write a check to the Adviser for the amount of any better  price  obtained
by the Advisory Person on the Securities Transaction over the price obtained for
the Fund,  and the Adviser  shall donate such check to charity.  If the Advisory
Person executed a Securities Transaction opposite to the transaction executed by
the Fund, the Compliance Officer shall determine an appropriate remedial action,
which may include a monetary fine,  rescission of the Securities  Transaction or
other suitable action.

     C.   Securities Offered in an Initial Public Offering or a Private Offering
          - Investment Personnel

     Investment  Personnel may not acquire any  securities in an Initial  Public
Offering  or a  Private  Offering  without  the  prior  written  consent  of the
Compliance Officer or the president of the Adviser. Furthermore,  should written
consent be given,  Investment Personnel are required to disclose such investment
when  participating in the Fund's  subsequent  consideration of an investment in
such issuer. In such  circumstances,  the Fund's decision to purchase securities
of such  issuer  should be subject to an  independent  review by the  Compliance
Officer or president of the Adviser.

4.   EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS

     The prohibitions of Sections 3A and B of this Code shall not apply to:

     A.  Purchases or sales effected in any account over which the Access Person
or Portfolio Manager has no direct or indirect  influence or control,  or in any
account  of the  Access  Person  or  Portfolio  Manager  which is  managed  on a
discretionary  basis by a person  other  than such  Access  Person or  Portfolio
Manager and with respect to which such Access  Person or Portfolio  Manager does
not in fact influence or control such transactions.

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     B.  Purchase or sale of a Security  which is not  eligible  for purchase or
sale by the Fund.

     C. Purchase or sale of a Security  which is  non-volitional  on the part of
the Access Person, Portfolio Manager or Fund.

     D. Purchases which are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan.

     E.  Purchases  effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro
rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights were
acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired.

     F. Any fixed income  Securities  Transaction  involving  $50,000  principal
amount or less if the Access  Person has no prior  knowledge of such  Securities
Transaction by the Fund.

5.   REPORTING

     A. The Compliance  Officer shall  periodically  identify all Access Persons
and inform such Access  Persons of their  reporting and  compliance  obligations
under this Code of Ethics.  The Compliance Officer shall maintain and update the
Preclearance  List and periodically  distribute the Preclearance  List to Access
Persons.  The  Compliance  Officer shall  promptly  inform Access Persons of any
changes to the Preclearance List.

     B. Each  Access  Person must report to the  Compliance  Officer  Securities
Transactions  in which such Access Person has, or by reason of such  transaction
acquires,  any direct or  indirect  Beneficial  Ownership  in a  Security.  Such
reports  must be made no  later  than ten  business  days  after  the end of the
calendar  quarter in which the  transaction(s)  were  effected.  Such  quarterly
reports  must  include the  following  information  with  respect to  Securities
Transactions during the quarter:

     (i) the date of the transaction,  the name of the Security,  and the number
     of shares or the principal amount of each Security Transaction;
     (ii) the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale, or any other type
     of acquisition or disposition);
     (iii) the price at which the transaction was effected; and
     (iv) the name of the  broker,  dealer  or bank  with or  through  which the
     transaction was effected.

In the  alternative,  Access Persons may direct their broker(s) to supply to the
Compliance  Officer on a timely basis duplicate  copies of  confirmations of all
personal  Securities  Transactions  and copies of  periodic  statements  for all
securities accounts, whether such accounts are currently existing or established
in the future.

     C. Whenever a person designated as Investment Personnel recommends that the
Fund purchase or sell a Security, he or she shall disclose to the person to whom
the recommendation is made, as well as to the Compliance  Officer,  if he or she
presently owns such Security,  or whether he or she is considering  the purchase
or sale of such Security.

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<PAGE>
     D. Not later than ten days after a person  becomes  an Access  Person,  and
thereafter  on an  annual  basis  Access  Persons  will  disclose  all  personal
securities  holdings  and all their  accounts  with any broker or dealer.  On an
annual  basis  Access  Persons  will be sent a copy of the  list of such  Access
Person's  securities  accounts  in  which he or she has a  beneficial  ownership
interest to verify its accuracy and make any  necessary  additions or deletions.
Access Persons shall immediately notify the Compliance Officer upon establishing
any account with a securities or derivatives dealer or broker.

     E. All personal matters relating to this Code discussed with the Compliance
Officer or the president, and all confirmations, account statements and personal
investment  reports  shall  be kept in  confidence,  but will be  available  for
inspection by the Board of the Fund, the Adviser and the appropriate  regulatory
agencies.

6.   ANNUAL CERTIFICATION

     On an  annual  basis  Access  Persons  will be sent a copy of this Code for
their  review.  Access  Persons will be asked to certify that they have read and
understand this Code and recognize that they are subject hereto.  Access Persons
will be further asked to certify  annually that they read the Code and that they
will comply with the provisions of the Code.

7.   CONFIDENTIAL STATUS OF THE FUND'S PORTFOLIO

     The  current  portfolio   positions  of  the  Fund  and  current  portfolio
transactions,  programs and analyses  must be kept  confidential.  If non-public
information  regarding  the Fund's  portfolio  should become known to any Access
Person, whether in the line of duty or otherwise, he or she should not reveal it
to anyone unless it is properly part of his or her employment duties.

8.   NON-PUBLIC MATERIAL INFORMATION

     No Access Person may purchase or sell any  Security,  or be involved in any
way in the  purchase  or sale of a  Security,  while in  possession  of material
non-public  information  about the  Security  or its issuer,  regardless  of the
manner  in  which  such  information  was  obtained.   This  prohibition  covers
transactions  for  clients,  as  well as  Securities  Transaction  for  personal
accounts.

     Furthermore,  no Access Person possessing material  non-public  information
may disclose such information to any person other than the Compliance Officer or
president  of the  Adviser,  except to the  extent  authorized  by such  person.
Disclosing  non-public material  information to others is known as "tipping" and
is prohibited.

     Non-public information includes corporate information,  such as undisclosed
financial  information about a corporation,  and market  information,  such as a
soon-to-be-published  article  about  a  corporation.  Material  information  is
information  which an investor would consider  important in making an investment
decision and which would substantially  affect the market price of a security if
disclosed.

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<PAGE>
9.   GIFTS - INVESTMENT PERSONNEL

     Investment Personnel shall not receive any gift or other thing of more than
de minimis  value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf
of the Fund. For purposes of this Code,  "more than de minimis value" shall mean
any gift in  excess  of a value of $100.  Any gift in  excess  of $100  shall be
reported  to the  Compliance  Officer.  Such  policy  does not  prohibit  normal
participation  in  a  business  meal  or  attendance  at  a  sporting  event  or
entertainment function with such person.

10.  SERVICES AS A DIRECTOR IN A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY - INVESTMENT PERSONNEL

     Investment Personnel shall not serve on the boards of directors of publicly
traded  companies,  absent prior  authorization by the president of the Adviser,
based upon a  determination  that the board service would be consistent with the
interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

11.  OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT

     No Access  Person may render  investment  advice to persons  other than the
Adviser's clients,  unless the advisory relationship,  including the identity of
those involved and any fee  arrangements,  has been disclosed to and approved by
the Adviser.  All Securities  Transaction for such outside  advisory clients are
also subject to the reporting requirements of this Code by such Access Person.

12.  COMPLIANCE REVIEW

     The Compliance Officer shall bring any questionable Securities Transactions
or potential  violations  of this Code to the  attention of the president of the
Adviser.  Before making any determination that a violation has been committed by
any  person,  the  president  shall give such  person an  opportunity  to supply
additional   information  regarding  the  Securities  Transaction  or  potential
violation in question.

13.  SANCTIONS

     The Adviser may impose such sanctions as they deem  appropriate,  including
inter alia,  letter of censure or suspension or termination of employment of the
Access  Person or a request  for  disgorgement  of any profits  received  from a
Securities Transaction done in violation of this Code.

14.  BOARD REVIEW

     The  Compliance  Officer shall provide  annually to the Board of the Fund a
copy of the existing Code and shall provide  periodically any amendments of this
Code.  The Compliance  Officer shall submit  annually to the Board of the Fund a
written report that:

     A. Describes any issues arising under this Code or its procedures since the
last  report to the Board,  including,  but not limited  to,  information  about
material  violations of this Code or its  procedures  and  sanctions  imposed in
response to the material violations; and

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     B. Certifies that the Adviser has adopted procedures  reasonably  necessary
to prevent Access Persons from violating this Code.

15.  RECORDKEEPING

     The Compliance Officer shall maintain,  effective with the adoption of this
Code, at the Adviser's  principal place of business,  the following  records and
shall make these records available to the Securities and Exchange Commission and
its representatives:

     A. A copy of each Code in effect during the past five years.

     B. A record of any  violation  and the  action  taken  during the past five
years.

     C. A copy of each Access Person's reports.

     D. A record of all Access Persons.

     E. A copy of the written reports to the Board.

     F. A record of the reasons for pre-approving transactions in Initial Public
Offerings or Private Offerings or in Securities on the Preclearance List.

     G. A copy of each Preclearance List in effect during the past five years.



(8/00)

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                              ORBIMED ADVISERS INC.
                                 CODE OF ETHICS
                                  CERTIFICATION


I have read the Code of Ethics of OrbiMed  Advisers Inc. in its entirety,  and I
agree to fully comply with all of its provisions.



Dated:
        ---------------------------------


Signed:
        ------------------------------------------------------


Print Name:
             ----------------------------------------------------------


(8/00)



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