Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Some 700 experts from 81 different countries will attend the 20th International Conference organised by the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care in the Vatican 17- 19 November. The theme this year is the human genome.
The position of the Catholic Church is one of prudence pending results of scientific research. The field of manipulation of genes to treat disease is a new and important but it necessitates an ethical premise to establish which interventions effectively help human beings and which are a possible threat.
The Conference has three stages. The first will examine the present situation of genetics; the second will reflect on the historical process of human genetics and the ethics of medical genetics. The third part will examine genetics and the new culture, the pastoral vision of genetic research, medical genetics and ethical committees in hospitals, law and genetics, ... education and the updating of pastoral workers in the field of genetics, and the prevention of genetic diseases from the point of view of pastoral care."
Participants will include top international experts in the field of science and theology, from 17 different countries: Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, France, Burkina Faso, U.S.A., Iceland, Switzerland, Holland, Colombia, Germany, Spain, India, Japan, Slovakia, Cuba and Mexico. Very special guests include a delegation representing Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow Alexis II. (AP) (17/11/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:271)
