Thursday, 8th January 2009 - 13:05CET
Church calls for law on biotechnology based on ethical values
“Experimentation on human embryos with the aim of scientific research, their destruction because they are considered extra or because they cannot develop normally, their being frozen even with the intention of their being implanted shortly, all go counter to the dignity and the integrity of human life.”
Malta requires legislation inspired by fundamental ethical values to regulate the use of biotechnology, the Church’s Theological Commission said today.
It said such values should include the right of the couple to the direct and active participation in the procreation of their children; the respect of the dignity and the integrity of human life from conception; the protection of the family and marriage and the protection of the rights and the interests of the unborn child.
In a statement on biotechnology and bioethics in Malta, the commission referred to new methods of procreation and stressed that at no stage of its development could the human embryo ever be considered as a piece of biological material.
“Experimentation on human embryos with the aim of scientific research, their destruction because they are considered extra or because they cannot develop normally, their being frozen even with the intention of their being implanted shortly, all go counter to the dignity and the integrity of human life.”
In its statement the commission said the principal aim of medicine and biotechnology is the promotion of a culture in favour of life. This was affirmed by Pope John Paul II in his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). The great strides made in contemporary biotechnology had been accompanied by great hopes, but they had also created new threats and risks to human life, especially in its initial stages.
The document Dignitas Personae (The Dignity of the Person), published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 12 December 2008, aimed not to hinder scientific and technological progress, but to defend human life when this is threatened by the irresponsible use of certain methods of assisted procreation, by the diagnosis of fertilised embryos in the laboratory during the IVF process, and by the research on stem cells. During the last two decades, since the Vatican Congregation’s document Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life, 1987), new threats to human dignity had arisen, the commission said.
"Faced with new methods of manipulation upon human life, Dignitas Personae affirms that the human embryo – at no stage of its development – can ever be considered as a piece of biological material. Experimentation on human embryos with the aim of scientific research, their destruction because they are considered extra or because they cannot develop normally, their being freezed even with the intention of their being implanted shortly, all go counter to the dignity and the integrity of human life.
"It is in the interest of society that civil legislation ensures that the new methods of human procreation respect the dignity and the rights of the human person."
The commission said that among the fundamental rights which civil legislation had to safeguard, were the right of each person to life and personal integrity, from conception to death. Thus, legislation should not tolerate that any person, even when still in the embryological state, be treated as an object for experimentation, be wounded, or destroyed with the excuse that he/she is extra or that he/she cannot develop normally.
The State had the duty to safeguard the family as the basic cell of society, as well as the right of the child to be conceived, born and raised by its parents in its natural environment, which was the family.
"Civil legislation should not approve of procreative techniques which involve the donation of gametes between individuals who are not legally bound to each other by marriage."
"Facts show that the rapid developments in the field of artificial reproduction are not ethically neutral. There are many risks entailed when such techniques are adopted without any recourse to an ethically-formed conscience. The ethical issues regarding the use of these techniques are not the private concern of infertile couples only. The moral values regarding the dignity of human life and the integrity of the family in the field of artificial reproduction affect the whole of society. Thus, more information and more ethical and moral education on these techniques are required, both for the members of the medical profession, as well as for the general public," the commission said.
"Our country requires legislation which is inspired by fundamental ethical values with the aim of regulating the use of biotechnology. Among these values, one mentions: the right of the couple to the direct and active participation in the procreation of their children; the respect of the dignity and the integrity of human life from conception; the protection of the family and marriage; the protection of the rights and the interests of the unborn child."
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Comments
It is merely defending the sanctity of human life.
I am sure it does support people having children, but it draws the line at certain methods whereby some feel that the evil is worth the consequences.
If a major institution such as the Church is in a position to defend human life then it deserves to be heard if only for that purpose and to urge her followers to do likewise.
Perhaps the Church would like to explain herself further by responding to these opinions just in case they may have been misunderstood or, which is more likely the case, misinterpreted.
Life has been consistently and cleverly cheapened to the point where people actually believe that all such experimentation is a good thing.
It is a mistake to suggest that only the church or religious people are in favour of preserving life and the dignity thereof. In fact it is insulting to those of no religious persuasion to suggest that they do not value human life.
"A little evil for the greater good of humanity" (A Meilak.) So you admit that it is evil? Little evil grows into greater evil!
Graham Crocker's outburst is nothing more than that - an outburst!
A couple who's desperate to have children should be helped as much as possible, not hindered.
But just as long as we do the total contrary of what the Church says for us to feel all strong and powerful...
I think you should check who takes care of the poorest of the poor, in this country and the world!
The church is not against your daughter, or anyone else, having the possibility to have children. What it is saying is that in order to have a baby using in vitro fertilisation, a number of eggs are fertilised. Then, at some stage, the one of them is chosen, while the rest are literally thrown away, i.e. killed!!!
Moreover, if you donate your egg to your daughter, the resulting offspring would noy be hers' but yours!
You will then become a mother and a grandmother of your daughter's offspring at the same time.
Your daughter's child will be your son/daughter and grandson/granddaughter at the same time.
James Coleiro
How about other religions which support the same policy?
Graham Crocker
A miscarriage is nature's own way of providing for the elimination of what is not going to be viable.
It's absolutely crazy. My eggs are mine own, and I will donate them to whoever I deem fit, if the Church has any problems with that, it's not my problem.
Funny how the church has a lot to say about the unborn, but says very little or close to nothing to defend the already born. Those living in poverty, in sickness, in misery... really odd...
Any comments on this?
I am not against research or against finding solutions to help human beings, but I am against messing with life (be it human or animal). And for those of you wondering if I am a priest, or an avid church follower, I assure you I am not.....
More of the same nonsense based on so called ethical values.
No wonder the Roman Catholic Church is in (self inflicted) rapid decline.
Let see how many 'dolts' will support this.
Lets get this straight, we cannot continue stem cell research, therefore we cannot cure people who are already alive (maybe supporting 5 children). Stem cells ultimately would mean the end of a human organs black market and no more people/children dying waiting for a kidney.
The rights and interests of an unborn child, ridiculous what about my sperm ?
Nobody ever thinks about my sperm all those potential babies dying everyday, but if its a sperm and an ova its something Bombastic that must be saved, but nobody ever accuses a woman of 3rd degree murder when a miscarriage happens.
Before the church talks about the dignity of Human life.
So the Africans dying of hunger & war, are they less human than a couple of molecules in a catholic womans' vagina?
How can you save those that weren't even born, if you people can't even save those who are alive...
Does one go to an openion monger for a medical check-up? I think the Church has learned a lot from history and apointed experts in biology and ethics to be able to pronounce itself on a much surer basis than it did in the case of Galileo. Now its the turn of others to get up-to-date and not remain stagnated in the past.
And, by the way , did you know that in Protestant England they burned more witches than in the whole of the Catholic world?
Has the church learned nothing from Galileo?
The last thing Malta needs is laws based on church dogma. This is the church that still prohibits the use of condoms, even between married couples. I don't think we should be looking to the church for guidance.