US embassy cable - 03VATICAN1378

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