Criminal liability for illegal medical and pharmaceutical activities in pre-revolutionary Russia (XI - early XX centuries)

Criminal law policy in the realm of public health protection constitutes a vital component of state policy as a whole, particularly at the present stage of societal development. In the article, based on a comparative study, an analysis of the main stages of the formation and development of criminal law norms regulating the liability of doctors and pharmacists for causing harm in the course of their professional activities is carried out. The work presents previously unput forward theses on the beginning of the formation of criminal law policy in the field of public health protection, which the author associates with the reign of Peter I and the publication of a number of specialized regulations. Based on the results of the study of monuments of domestic law, the article formulates a number of conclusions that may be important for the further optimization of both criminal legislation and criminal law policy in the field of public health protection as a whole. Among the most noteworthy conclusions is the establishment of a broad criminalization of violations committed in the field of medical and pharmaceutical activities, as well as in the field of production of medicines and food products, as evidenced in Russian legislation by the early 20th century. This analysis aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the historical context and evolution of criminal liability in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, thereby informing current legislative practices and policies aimed at safeguarding public health.