Position of the holy see on vimun 2016

Good day! The Vatican is happy to be present at the current session and to assist in carrying out the international cooperation aimed at solving social, cultural and humanitarian problems.  Nowadays the problem of genetic manipulation and gene therapy is one of the most urgent. Gene therapy is a new method of treating genetic diseases , however there are a number of ethic and moral problems connected with this treatment.
Brothers and sisters, boys and girls, the young and the old groan suffering from  genetic  illnesses, some of them die, some of them turn into invalids.The Catholic Church approves of the application of gene therapy  to cure diseases and correct some inborn flaws , but it considers it inadmissible to use genetic manipulation  in order to ‘construct’ the ideal human being, thus attributing divine powers to itself.
We are all equal in front of God, are all loved by Him, and this is why the unique features of every separate person and a person’s importance should exclude any genetic improvements.
It was perfectly illustrated by our brother, ethic Derflinger: ‘ For example, to fulfill gene therapy using stem cells to correct nature’s flaws of «Down» syndrome is a noble aim which can be only welcomed. Anyway,  the  idea of using gene therapy and stem cells engineering, attributed to as positive eugenics (to create a better human being),   is considered by the Church  a  perilous approach. The Church is in strong opposition of this idea.’
 By nature Man is imperfect;   the destiny of the humanity is to make use of its strength and chances to do away with imperfections. Still, the active introduction of gene therapy may result in awful consequences – parents may start constructing their children endowing them with desirable signs not only with anatomic and physiological ones, but with definite talents , abilities and character. This will inevitably enhance inequality and create a gap  in the society between those who can afford a the new technology and those who are unable to  pay for the expensive treatment.

It is worth keeping in mind that a new subspecies of man can develop, the so-called ‘naturals’ ,who are most likely to be discriminated   due to the fact that they haven’t been exposed to any genetic modification. Actually, these are only  few  suppositions concerning the total changes caused by the introduction of genetic manipulations in our life.



One of the pharmaceutical  companies,  which took part in the project   ‘ Human Gene’, tried to take out a patent for the most unstable human genes so that the firm could gain the  exclusive right to improve  or correct them in future.  The firm was declined that right and after that it brought a suit  to the USA Supreme Court
against the  patent bureau.  The Court   gave a very wise answer :‘ Man can’t bring out a patent for what has been created by God and Nature.’   

People have no right to encroach on the labour of God as it may turn into a catastrophe for them. The humanity should make use of the most successful achievements that people have at their disposal in order to help the needed, to cure the sick and just to show sympathy and affection for those who experience hardships.

We know very little about the human body. And little we know about the essence of life itself. So, it isn’t worth using gene engineering  to improve and perfect anything.  Our duty is to enter the age of gene engineering with   utmost responsibility  which means that we ought to use this powerful technology only for medical treatment and we ought to avoid any other application of this method.