Abstract

Swiss law makes extensive reference to human dignity, both in the field of biomedicine and throughout the law generally. The Federal Constitution recognizes dignity as a fundamental right and it is a core principle of the rule of law. Human dignity is relied upon to protect from the beginning of the embryo right through to the dead body. As such, dignity recognizes the intrinsic value of every human being and is absolute. In the case law, respect for human dignity reveals the interaction between the individual and the community.