The Catholic View of Biomedical Research

Mons. Ignacio Barreiro, STD
March 2003


The Pontifical Academy for Life held its Ninth General Assembly at the Vatican from the 24th to the 26th of February. The topic addressed in this session by the Academy was biomedical research from the perspective of reason illuminated by Faith. Man by his God-given nature is a searcher of the truth. In this search he can achieve increased knowledge and put it to the service of society. As Pope John Paul II stated, “It is a recognized fact that the improvements in the medical treatment of disease primarily depend on progress in research.” At the same time we are living in a world, where as one of the speakers pointed out: “The culture of death has for the last thirty years clearly controlled the press and the media now shows a sinister proclivity toward controlling scientific literature and thereby the political process.” Seeing how many forms of scientific research put in serious danger human life and constitute an affront to human dignity, the Church has to raise her voice to protect human life and man’s dignity and to orient science for the true benefit of mankind. Some of the speakers insisted that we also have to be capable of influencing the political process through which national and international scientific policies and programs are formed and conducted. As John Paul II said with prophetic tones in his memorable speech of October 7th 1979, on the Mall in Washington, D.C. “When innocent life is threatened – WE WILL STAND UP! WE WILL STAND UP!

The initial premise, of the address of the Holy Father to the members of the Academy was that reason illuminated by the faith does not restrict the field of observation but rather extends it, since the light of revelation comes to the aid of reason to offer a fuller understanding of what is intrinsic to human dignity. Recalling the invitation made by Paul VI to researchers to make a contribution to the welfare of marriage and the family, he made it his own, stressing the need to find natural solutions for the problem of conjugal infertility. The Holy Father renewed his appeal that “scientific and biomedical research, resist every temptation to human manipulation,” and instead it should “dedicate itself firmly to explore ways and means to sustain human life”. He underlined how the “Church respects and supports scientific research when it has a genuinely humanistic orientation, avoiding any form of instrumentalization or destruction of the human being and keeping itself free from the slavery of political and economic interests.” He pointed out how in presenting the moral orientations dictated by natural reason the Church offers a precious service to scientific research, doing her utmost for the true good of the human person. As a consequence, not only the aims, but also the methods and means of research must always respect the dignity of every human being at every stage of his development. The Holy Father underlined that scientists must be aware of the insuperable limits that the protection of the life, the integrity and dignity of every human being impose upon their research. He appealed to Catholic Institutes and Universities to measure up to the high standard of the spiritual values that presided over their beginning. The Holy Father as a last observation underlined the urgent need to fill the very serious and unacceptable gap that separates the developing world from the developed in terms of the capacity to progress in biomedical research. He then specifically pointed to the need to conquer the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragán, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Health Care, delivered the initial address. He denounced and gave a warning on how a new paradigm has been developed in international organizations that totally denies Christianity and transcendental objective values. The Archbishop underlined how, the values of “national sovereignty, religions, dogmas, natural and traditional values,” are rejected. The main concern of this new vision is to protect the ecosystem that takes a quasi-divine nature. The bioethics that are a consequence of this new paradigm are closed to the Transcendent and can be considered “subjective” or “autonomous”.

The meeting was well briefed on the current trends and directions of Biomedical research and its most important areas; like Neurology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and transplant studies. Many important and qualified speakers intervened in the debate. Between them we can mention: Prof. Juan de Dios Vial Correa, the President of the Academy, who delivered a very significant analysis of the ethics of animal experimentation. In this study he demonstrated that animals can be used for experimentation if certain criteria are respected, like the avoidance of unnecessary suffering and if there is a true need to use animals for serious scientific research. Prof. Gonazalo Herranz offered an important commentary on the History of the Christian contribution to the Ethics of Biomedical research. Prof. William E. May, spoke on Human dignity and Biomedical research. He clarified the conditions under which research can be done on human persons always respecting their dignity. For that reason he underlined the need to always respect the principle of free and informed consent of the persons that volunteer as subjects for a scientific experiment. Prof. Eugene Diamond spoke on the Conflict of Interests in Biomedical Research: Economics and Ideology. In his presentation Dr. Diamond gave ample evidence of situations in which vested economic interests of authors or institutions have led them to present dubious scientific data or to ignore scientific information that was contrary to their interests. He also made a strong case against “advocate science” that consists in the propounding of so called “scientific” claims or rejecting counterclaims based not on the quality of objective data involved but rather on a hidden political agenda. Prof. Roberto Colombo made a valuable plea on behalf of the “Vulnerable” Subjects of Biomedical Research, marking the special case of the Human Embryo. Prof. Robert Spaeman, presented an insightful philosophical contribution to the nature of scientific research and the human quest for knowledge that is part and parcel of human nature.

At the end of the debate Bishop Elio Sgreccia, vice president of the Pontifical Academy of Life, made a very serious presentation on “Policy in Biomedical Research Values and Priorities”. Within his indications on research policy he underlined the current awareness of research as a tool for development at the same time the need to avoid a monopoly of the state on research. He showed how the Church is directly committed to the promotion of scientific research and ready to provide it with an ethical guidance. He underlined how the Church is capable of enriching scientific research itself by presenting an overall vision of man that leads to the pursuit of his good. To evaluate the ethical value of biomedical research he proposed a triangular method. It has three stages, the presentation of biomedical data, the in-depth study of the anthropological values involved, and the elaboration as a consequence, of the ethical norms that should guide the action of the researchers taking into account the biomedical facts and the values affected. He expressed the very valid concern that Catholic Universities should be provided with sufficient resources to do research that is dedicated to the overall good of man and free from any compromises that obfuscate its commitment to the truth.

The meeting concluded its work approving a final communiqué which reflected and summarized the main themes discussed and made a proposal for an ethical commitment for researchers at the biomedical level. In its initial premise this document underlined how the development of science in the last decades has produced cultural and social transformations that created hopes of concrete improvements for the life and future of man. At the same time some areas of research have created problems and doubts of an ethical and religious nature showing how necessary it is that science should receive an ethical guidance that directs it towards the common good. Without an ethical reference science can be ambivalent. It may either be used for the good or for the destruction of men. The document asks researchers to pledge a commitment to: A rigorous scientific methodology. The avoidance of conflicts of interest. That science and technology should be used at the service of the human person respecting his dignity and rights. All research and its applications should be based upon a criterion of moral goodness. To all human beings from the first moment of their existence up to their natural death should be guarantied the full respect which is due to a human person. The utility and obligation of a serious and responsible experimentation on animals is recognized before applying any new technologies to man. Clinical experimentation on men should be done only after a clear knowledge is reached as to the goals and possible applications of the research. Every person that participates as a research subject should do it only on the basis of a free and informed consent.

This 9th General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Life concluded its work providing the Church and the world with an important advance in the understanding of the problems of biomedical research and with significant guidelines on how to confront contemporary problems and abuses that are a threat to life and human dignity.

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