ACADEMY FOR LIFE ASKS RESEARCHERS TO COMMIT TO ETHICAL CODE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 14, 2003 (VIS) - The Pontifical Academy for Life, which met for its Ninth General Assembly in the Vatican from February 24 to 26, has issued a final communique on the work done during those days on the theme "The Ethics of Biomedical Research: For a Christian Vision."

The document recalls the "extraordinary development" of modern scientific technology which has helped benefit man and mankind in untold ways in recent decades. However, states the final report, when technology is not used within a precise ethical framework, or for the good of all men or if benefits are achieved for some to the detriment of others, that technology is morally objectionable.

The communique adds that "experimentation, therapeutical and non therapeutical, ... involves many aspects and problems, of a scientific order as well as a moral order." It reaffirmed the "need to have experiments on man be preceded by adequate experiments on animals," the latter being conducted within precise scientific and ethical parameters.

Particular attention must be given, said the Academy statement, to "more vulnerable human subjects" such as the human embryo. Because of the delicacy of its stages of development, eventual experiments on it would involve, in the light of actual technical possibilities, very high risks - and therefore ethically unacceptable - including causing it irreversible damage or even its death."

The report continues: "Also entirely unacceptable is the motivation adopted by a number of people concerning the licitness of sacrificing the integrity (physical and genetic) of a human subject in the embryonic stage, by destroying it, if necessary, with the aim of obtaining benefits for other human beings. It is never morally licit to intentionally commit an evil, not even to obtain something good in itself."

An Appendix to the final communique was also published, consisting of an Introductory Note, a Premise and seven Commitments, Almost a manifesto for researchers, it asks them for an ethical commitment in the field of biomedicine in order to achieve a more humanized medicine.

The Appendix states that "this invitation for personal adhesion is extended to all researchers and workers in research in the biomedical field and in the bioethical field." It asks those who wish to adhere to the seven commitments to contact the Academy by e-mail (pav'acdlife.va), fax (3906-6988-2014) or write the Pontifical Academy for Life, Via della Conciliazione, 3, Rome, 00193. Senders must include name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, profession, place of work, and academic titles.

Researchers are asked to commit to:

- adhere to a methodology of research marked by scientific rigor and a high quality of information furnished;

- not adhere to research conditioned by "conflicts of interest from a personal, professional or economic view point";

- recognize that science and technology must serve the human person, fully respecting his dignity and rights;

- recognize and respect research based on the principle of 'moral goodness' and referring to a correct vision of the corporal and spiritual dimensions of man;

- recognize that every human person, from conception to natural death, is guaranteed full and unconditional respect due them by virtue of their human dignity;

- recognize both the need to perform experiments "in the light of determined ethical rules" before applying the results to man, and the duty to safeguard human life and health;

- recognize the legitimacy of clinical experiments on man, but only under precise conditions, including safeguarding human life and the physical integrity of the person involved, and to recognize that "experimentation must always be preceded by dutiful, correct and complete information on the meaning and the development of the experiment."

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