VATICAN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION TO

UNCLAS VATICAN 001378 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); OES/IHA, IO/PPC, L/UNA, E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL SOCI TBIO VT UN SUBJECT: VATICAN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION TO CONTROL BIOMEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION 1.THE VATICAN'S PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE HAS ISSUED A SET OF GUIDELINES FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TO PROTECT HUMAN DIGNITY. MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY RECOMMENDED ETHICALLY BASED INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION ON BIOMEDICAL TECHNIQUES THAT REFLECTED THE "VALUES DESCRIBED IN THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN PERSON." THE ACADEMY GUIDELINES STRESSED THAT EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE AND BIOMEDICINE MUST BE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE AMBIT OF "DEFINITE ENDS" AND ETHICS. WHILE IN PRINCIPLE THERE ARE NO ETHICAL BARRIERS BEYOND WHICH THE HUMAN PERSON IS FORBIDDEN TO APPLY HIS "COGNITIVE ENERGY," THERE ARE PRECISE ETHICAL LIMITS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. ACCORDING TO THE ACADEMY, "WHAT IS TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE IS NOT FOR THAT VERY REASON MORALLY ADMISSIBLE." THE ULTIMATE AIM OF EVERY RESEARCH ACTIVITY IN THE BIOMEDICAL FIELD MUST BE THE "INTEGRAL GOOD OF MAN." 2.KEY TO VATICAN ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IS THE AVOIDANCE OF ANY FORM OF "INSTRUMENTALIZATION" OR DESTRUCTION OF THE HUMAN BEING. THE VATICAN ALSO SEEKS TO KEEP BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FREE FROM COMPROMISING LINKS TO POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS. TO MEET THESE GUIDELINES, THE ACADEMY HAS PUT FORWARD A THREE-STAGE METHODOLOGY FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH THAT RESPECTS THE GOOD OF THE HUMAN PERSON: 1) THE PRESENTATION OF THE BIOMEDICAL DATA; 2) EXAMINATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE HUMAN PERSON AND DISCERNMENT OF THE VALUES THIS RAISES; AND 3) THE ELABORATION OF ETHICAL NORMS THAT CAN GUIDE THE WORK OF THOSE INVOLVED IN A GIVEN SITUATION. 3.THE ACADEMY ALSO INSISTED UPON A HIGH STANDARD OF F PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND A RIGOROUS PROCEDURAL METHODOLOGY CONCERNING THERAPEUTIC AND NON-THERAPEUTIC EXPERIMENTATION. EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS IS ALSO ENCOURAGED, TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF HUMAN SUBJECTS. THE ACADEMY PAPER PICKS UP ON STANDARD VATICAN POLICY ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN EMBRYOS, DECLARING THAT EXPERIMENTATION ON THEM "IN THE LIGHT OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES" IS ETHICALLY UNACCEPTABLE GIVEN THE HIGH RISK OF IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE OR DEATH. DESTRUCTION OF EMBRYOS, EVEN IN ORDER TO BENEFIT OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, IS JUDGED TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. THE ACADEMY FOR LIFE STRESSED THAT "IT IS NEVER MORALLY LICIT TO DO EVIL INTENTIONALLY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE ENDS THAT ARE GOOD IN THEMSELVES, AND ANY EXPERIMENTATION ON THE HUMAN EMBRYO THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE A DIRECT BENEFIT FOR ITS OWN HEALTH IS MORALLY ILLICIT. 4.COMMENT: THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE IS THE BODY IN THE ROMAN CURIA CHARGED WITH DEVELOPING CATHOLIC TEACHING ON LIFE ISSUES. THE ACADEMY "STATEMENT," THEREFORE, REPRESENTS OFFICIAL HOLY SEE POLICY ON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. ITS DEVELOPMENT AND RELEASE NOW REFLECTS THE HOLY SEE'S DESIRE TO SHAPE AND INFLUENCE ONGOING WORK AT THE UN TO ACHIEVE AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO BAN HUMAN CLONING. THE HOLY SEE OBSERVER MISSION TO THE UN WILL CERTAINLY RELY ON AND REFER TO THIS NEW "POSITION PAPER" AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THAT PROCESS. END COMMENT. NICHOLSON NNNN 2003VATICA01378 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED