By Holy See Mission
Statement by H.E. Archbishop Celestino Migliore,
Apostolic NuncioPermanent Observer of the Holy See to the United
NationsBefore the Sixth Committee, on item 150:International conventionAgainst the reproductive cloning of human beingsNew York, 21 October 2004Mr. Chairman,
Human cloning has now been on the
agenda of the United Nations since the end of 2001.
From the beginning, it has appeared
clear that, in spite of the agenda item’s name, “International
Convention
against the reproductive cloning of human beings”, the purpose of this
exercise
has actually been to find a juridical framework that would allow and
accelerate
the advancement of medical science in the procurement and use of stem
cells, and
to identify and ban practices that would be disrespectful to human
dignity.
From a purely scientific point of
view, the therapeutic progress already achieved with so-called adult
stem cells,
namely stem cells from bone marrow, cord blood, and other mature tissues
appears
very promising. Embryonic cloning, for its part, is as yet far from
delivering
the progress that its advocates suggest. There has
yet to be a definite clinical success using cloned embryonic stem cells
even in
animal experiments. The work that would make it safe to experiment in
this
manner on human beings will likely take a very long time, and these
obstacles
may never be overcome.
Moreover, the distinction that is
sometimes drawn between reproductive and therapeutic cloning seems
specious.
Both involve the same technical cloning process and differ only in goal.
Both
forms of cloning involve disrespect for the dignity of the human being.
In fact,
from an ethical and anthropological standpoint, so-called therapeutic
cloning,
creating human embryos with the intention of destroying them, even if
undertaken
with the goal of possibly helping sick patients in the future, seems
very
clearly incompatible with respect for the dignity of the human being,
making one
human life nothing more than the instrument of another. Further, given
the fact
that cloned embryos would be indistinguishable from embryos created by
in vitro
fertilization and could readily be implanted into wombs and brought to
birth, we
believe it would be practically impossible to enforce an instrument that
allowed
one type of cloning while banning the other.
If adult stem cell research has
already demonstrated conditions for success and raises no ethical
questions, it
is only reasonable that it should be pursued before science embarks on
cloning
embryos as a source for stem cells, something which remains problematic
both
scientifically and ethically.
Does this mean we are opposed to
scientific progress? Rather, we would say that the choice is not between
science
and ethics, but between science that is ethically responsible and
science that
is not. Thousands of lives have been saved by adult stem cells, most
often in
the treatment of leukemia and other cancers. Solid scientific evidence
has now
established that adult stem cell transplants are safe, and preliminary
results
suggest they will be able to help people with Parkinson’s disease,
spinal cord
injury, heart damage and dozens of other conditions. The danger is that
this
progress toward cures will be halted or slowed down by the diversion of
attention and resources towards the cloning of human beings as a
potential
source of stem cells.
Mr. Chairman, my delegation would
like to conclude its remarks by making two final points.
First of all, this Committee and
the General Assembly appear to be the proper fora for our deliberations,
since
the questions surrounding human embryonic cloning know no boundaries of
geography, culture or season. But even more importantly, the subject of
this
particular scientific pursuit concerns the nature and existence of human
life
itself. Therefore a body that is supra-national has the proper scope to
encompass the full breadth of this issue. This matter - of vital
interest to the
human race today and in the future - properly belongs here in this
universal
body.
Secondly, we are convinced that the
subject of human embryonic cloning can be best addressed by a juridical
instrument, since the rule of law is essential to the promotion and
protection
of human life. It is by the rule of law, based on right reason, that
societies
can properly regulate whatever appears to challenge our fundamental
notions of
human life and dignity. It is in this regard, Mr. Chairman, that my
Delegation
based the information Paper, to which reference was made, on the logic
of right
reason and not on religious beliefs.
In conclusion, the Holy See remains
convinced of the wisdom of an international juridical instrument that
comprehensively bans human embryonic cloning.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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