生命伦理法的建构

Construction of Bioethics Law

随着生命科学技术的快速发展和应用,大量风险挑战应运而生,迫切需要对其予以伦理和法律规制。伦理与法律作为两套并行的规则体系,各自独立运行时都具有难以克服的弱点和短板,难以取得理想的治理效能。然而,作为伦理法治化主要标志和必然产物的生命伦理法,是伦理规则体系与法律规则体系耦合的全新结果,成为规范生命伦理事项的可靠保障。它以维护生命权最高价值、健康权核心价值、尊严权突出价值为使命,以确保自由、平等与秩序等多元价值的平衡为取向,坚持行善勿害原则、尊重自主原则、自然尊严原则和公平公正原则等四个基本原则,通过确立强制性法律规范、指导性伦理规范和衔接性边界规范体系,设置具有显著“伦理法特色”的刑事、民事、行政和伦理责任体系,从而发挥其对生命科学和医学研究的约束指导、规范惩戒功能。当前,生命伦理法面临着若干时代命题,涉及人的孕育、出生、存续直至死亡的全过程,亟待有效回应。

The rapid development and widespread application of life science and technology have given rise to a numerous risks and challenges, necessitating urgent ethical and legal regulations. However, the independent operation of ethics and law systems has proven inadequate in achieving optimal governance effectiveness, due to their inherent weaknesses and shortcomings. In response, the emergence of bioethics law, as a product the integration of ethical and legal systems, has become a vital safeguard for bioethical issues. Rooted in the principles of the ethical rule of law, bioethics law upholds the highest value of the right to life, the core value of the right to health, and the prominent value of dignity. It seeks to strike a balance of multiple values such as freedom, equality and order. Four basic principles—doing good and avoiding harm, respect for autonomy, natural dignity, and fairness and justice—guide its application. Through establishing mandatory legal norms, instructive ethical norms and consistent boundary norms, bioethics law constructs a comprehensive framework encompassing criminal, civil, administrative and ethical responsibility. This framework possesses distinctive characteristics that are specific to bioethical law, thereby effectively restraining, directing, and regulating life science and medical research. However, bioethics law currently confronts several challenges associated with the whole spectrum of human existence, from conception to birth, to life and ultimately death. These challenges demand effective and timely response to ensure the continued efficacy and relevance of bioethics law in addressing contemporary ethical dilemmas.