美国法上的“危险病人”例外规则——以精神病医生的拒证特权为中心

The Exception Principle of "Dangerous Patients" in American Law——Centering on the Psychiatrist' Privilege of Refusing to Testify

精神病医生一般掌握了患者的许多隐私,这些信息必须得到尊重,因为医患间的信任是病人成功治愈的重要前提。但是对于某些具有危险性的病人,如果其企图侵害第三者,医生有没有向有关机关报案的义务,在刑事案件中精神病医生是否应免于作证,这种作证豁免有无例外,如何在病人隐私和公众安全两者之间进行取舍,这就是美国法中"危险病人"例外规则所涉及的内容,这一规则对我国拒证制度的建立和发展具有积极的借鉴意义。

Psychiatrists often harbor much privacy of mental patients,which should be respected,for the trust between psychiatrists and patients is a prerequisite for successful therapy.But if some dangerous mental patients attempt to attack a third party,do psychiatrists have the duty to inform？ Do psychiatrists have the duty to testify in criminal proceedings？ How to balance between keeping patients＇ privacy and maintaining public safty？ The exception principle of dangerous patient in American law just focuses on these above questions.This principle sheds light on the establishment and development of the privilege of being exempt from testifying in our country.