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

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2003VATICA01378 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED