[The development of the characteristics of modern Chinese medical ethics].

Abstract

Chinese social thought and moral ethics underwent significant transformations because of modern social structure changes. Medical ethics with Chinese characteristics came into being with the introduction of modern western medicine and medical ethics into China. This indicated that Chinese medical ethics might be the integration of Chinese traditional ethics and western medical ethics. It was found that the development of modern Chinese medical ethics involved the following characteristics -- attaching importance to the consistence of the power and responsibilities of physicians, highlighting the function of medical societies and legislation in professional ethics, pledging their medical secrets, and being patriotic to their motherland. It was also found that the development of modern Chinese medical ethics had some deficiency because of the times and social backgrounds. These complicated characteristics and values of modern Chinese medical ethics can be taken as references for the further development of contemporary Chinese medical ethics.