《生命科学》 2025, 37(11): 1464-1470

健康大数据研究温室气体排放的环境影响——以生命伦理为视角

陈泓邑^*

云南大学政府管理学院，昆明 650500

摘　要：

健康大数据研究和其他人类活动一道，经由排放温室气体(GHG) 对环境产生负面影响，增加未来人受到健康相关伤害的风险。应该如何伦理地应对这种风险？以生命伦理中伦理委员会的伦理审查机制为视域，探索科研人员通过碳抵消、降低研究过程中的GHG 排放等方式，为研究进行伦理辩护，供伦理委员会审查的可能性。该提议需要克服三个困难：①未来人无法就是否自愿承担当下研究产生的风险给出知情同意；②难以合理要求科研人员为其职业工作中产生的GHG 排放承担碳抵消的成本；③现行伦理委员会不审查遥远的、涉及第三方的风险。

通讯作者：陈泓邑 , Email:chhy@ynu.edu.cn

The environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions in health-related big data research: a perspective from bioethics

CHEN Hong-Yi^*

School of Government, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China

Abstract:

Among other human activities, health-related big data research contributes to environmental degradation through the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), thereby increasing the risks of health-related harm to future generations. How should we ethically address this risk? This paper proposes to examine the  feasibility of scientific researchers providing ethical justification for their work through carbon offsetting and reducing GHG emissions during the research process, for ethical review. I tackle three challenges for this proposal: 1) future generations cannot provide informed consent regarding the risks resulting from current research; 2) it is difficult to reasonably require researchers to bear the cost of carbon offsetting for the GHG emissions generated by their professional work; and 3) current institutional review board do not typically review distant,  third-party risks.

Communication Author：CHEN Hong-Yi , Email:chhy@ynu.edu.cn