“现有科学证据”规则与全球卫生法的完善

Reflections on the“Available Scientific Evidence”and the Improvement of Global Health Law

“现有科学证据”是环境生态和卫生健康领域国际条约的共同措词,是风险领域国际法中国际组织与国家采取行动和作出判断的重要依据。“现有科学证据”是《国际卫生条例》中“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”的界定因素,也是缔约国执行卫生措施的判断依据。但是,作为风险决策关键因素的“现有科学证据”缺乏界定,规范困境又加深了解释与操作的异议和难度。世界贸易组织的相关实践和国际法上预防原则的发展,为理解科学与法律互动中“现有科学证据”的含义,提供了新颖客观的借鉴角度,也有助于思考全球卫生法的完善方向。

“Available scientific evidence”is a common concept in international environmental-related treaties and global health agreements,and it also represents an important basis for international organizations and states to make decisions and take actions in the domain of risks and under the international law.The evidence also provides in the International Health Regulations one of the definitive factors for“public health emergency of international concern”and the basis for contracting parties in deciding whether to implement health measures.However,as a key factor in risk decision,“available scientific evidence”is not clearly defined in international law,and this normative dilemma has inereased the dissent and difficulties in its interpretation and application.The relevant practice of the World Trade Organization and the development of precautionary principles in international law provide a novel and objective perspective for understanding the meaning of“available scientific evidence”during the interaction between science and law,and they also shed light on how to improve the global health law.