放弃治疗与医学伦理

Renunciation of medical treatment and medical ethics

放弃治疗是指对不可治愈的患者 ,根据本人及其家属的要求终止治疗行为 ,这是医学伦理学当前迫切需要解决的重要问题 ,关系到医患双方的道德观念、人身权益。放弃治疗可减少公共卫生资源的浪费 ,是社会公众对生死意义的再认识 ,是人类道德意识进步的体现。但在其实施过程中 ,可能导致医患双方的伦理冲突乃至医疗纠纷 ,相信随着国家卫生体制改革的深化 ,医疗保险体系的建立健全 ,卫生法律体系的完善 ,社会文明程度的提高 。

Renunciation of medical treatment refers to the termination of therapy on incurable patients at the requests of themselves or their family members. It is a matter which needs to be urgently solved in the field of medical ethics. This matter concerns moral concept of both health care providers and receivers, and human rights of the both sides. Renunciation of medical treatment could decrease waste of public health resources, reflecting a progress in social morals and representing a public re-recognition on the significance of human life. But in practice, it would lead to ethical conflict between the medical professionals and the patients. This contradiction could be gradually solved along with deepening of the reform of the national health care system, establishment of medical insurance system, improvement of medical rules and laws, and enhencement of social civilization.