人类胚胎干细胞技术的可专利性——欧洲法院Brüstle v. Greenpeace e.V.专利案述评

Patentability of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Techniques: Review of CJEU's Decision in the Brüstle v. Greenpeace e.V. Case

对人类胚胎的保护,其本身就关乎人类的可持续发展。根据德国《专利法》与《欧盟生物技术发明法律保护指令》的规定,基于工商业目的的对人类胚胎的利用,不能授予专利。但对于什么是人类胚胎未作解释。而德国《刑法典》只保护"着床"(受精卵附着在子宫壁上)之后的人类胚胎。随着生物医学的现代发展,越来越多的人类胚胎在胚胎移植中被丢弃与毁坏,引发了体外胚胎的保护问题。欧洲法院就德国联邦最高法院提交的Brüstle v.Greenpeace e.V.案所作出裁决,从宪法角度阐明了人类胚胎的概念,将人类胚胎的保护延展至体外胚胎,使得相关的发明不能获得专利保护。

The protection of the human embryo relates to the sustainability of human development. According to German Patent Law and EU Directive on Legal Protection of Biotechnological Inventions, the use of human embryos for commercial purposes cannot be patented. However, German Patent Law does not define the term ＂human embryo＂ in the legislation. The human embryo will be protected under German Criminal Code only after the ＂implantation＂ （the fertilized egg attached to the uterine wall） occurs. The development of biomedical science leads to a growing number of human embryos were discarded and destroyed by in vitro fertilization. German Federal Supreme Court referred the Briistle v. Greenpeace e./4. patent dispute regarding human embryonic to the Court of Justice of European Union（CJEU）. In 2011, the CJEU ruled that the term ＂human embryos＂ must be interpreted broadly to include any organism from the perspective of constitutional rights, and the inventions relating to human embryos are not patentable.