Vatican
City, 5 April 2013
(VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press
conference was held to present the Second International Vatican Adult
Stem Cell Conference, “Regenerative Medicine: A Fundamental Shift
in Science & Culture”, which will place in the new Synod Hall
of the Paul VI building in the Vatican from 11–13 April.
Participating in the press conference were: Cardinal Gianfranco
Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Dr. Robin
Smith, president of The Stem for Life Foundation and CEO of NeoStem;
and Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture's
Science and Faith foundation.
“This
conference,” said Msgr. Trafny, “is part of a project that
developed thanks to the generosity, determination, and passion of
many people belonging to different communities [such as] The Stem for
Life Foundation..., the scientific community, benefactors...,
journalists, as well as pastoral caregivers at various levels.”
“There
are three sets of words that ideally describe our course of action.
The first set is related to the objectives we have set ourselves in
preparing for 2011's International Conference. They are three words:
understanding, knowing, and studying. We wanted to understand what
consequences the field of regenerative medicine in general and adult
stem cells in particular might have upon society and culture. … It
was very clear that the impact and the cultural dynamics of the
research cannot be understood without first knowing what it is and it
cannot be known unless it is studied. … This perspective of
constant study and reflection is always valid because research
progresses and we don't want to follow it but rather accompany it.”
But
the organizers of the 2011 conference realized that their initial
course of action had to be enriched by three other terms:
translation, formation, and dissemination. “We realized,” Msgr.
Trafny observed, “that contemporary science seems increasingly
hermetic, impenetrable to the uninitiated and, as such, needs
translating, without which it sometimes becomes difficult, if not
impossible, to follow its developments. … So we focused mainly on
first asking the speakers to make their knowledge more accessible to
those without a scientific background. But immediately after the
conference we were committed to identifying possible paths of
development and dissemination at a high level. The publication of our
book, 'The Healing Cell', is part of that process and we are happy
that, last year, we were able to present a limited edition of the
book to Pope Benedict XVI.”
To
these two paths is added today a third, always expressed in three
words: influence, support, and collaboration. We want “to have a
cultural influence on society, pointing to research models of
excellence that are, nevertheless, in tune with the highest moral
values of protecting the life and dignity of the human being from the
moment of conception. However, we are aware that you cannot
permanently influence society and culture without the constant and
far-sighted support that comes from religious, social, and political
leaders, from the community of entrepreneurs and from benefactors who
are ready to commit to developing long-term scientific, bioethical,
and cultural research.”
In
the end we are convinced that, in order to have a meaningful impact
on culture it is necessary to know how to overcome prejudice and
antagonism, promoting the logic of dialogue and cooperation at
various levels. That is why we feel called to collaborate with the
most prestigious professors, research institutes, and universities
around the world.”
In
conclusion, Msgr. Trafny invited journalists to attend this
International Conference in order to communicate “the positive,
encouraging, and optimistic message of the Church's support of high
quality, ethical research to both scholars—so that they have no
doubts of our commitment—as well as to those who are struggling
with the pain of degenerative disease and who are awaiting hopeful
signs from the research.”
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