bioethics – Communio

Adult Stem Cell research, ethics –has support of the Catholic Church

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI met recently with the participants in the conference, “Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture,” meeting 9-11 November, in Rome. The Pope’s November 12th address can be read here where he underscores the unique opportunity to discover the beauty of human life in all its complexities through the work of science. He points out that there are possibilities for the healing of chronic degenerative illnesses. He advocates for an ethic that respects the integral good of human life and the common good of society, especially citing Dignitas Personae.

He’s lending his voice to scientific research which gives the best outcome to regenerative medicine. Dr Robin L. Smith and her company, NeoStem, organized the symposium with key Vatican offices.

Listen to a Rome Reports clip on the meeting.

Here’s a previous post about this meeting.

Recent book explores ethical dimension of human cell research

Is this Cell a
Human Being? Exploring the Status of Embryos, Stem Cells and Human-Animal
Hybrids (Springer, $139; slightly less expensive on Amazon). Antoine Suarez and Joachim Huarte are the editors. The book follows the 2009 meeting of international experts who worked with the ethical considerations of human
cell use and the implications and hope of the research.

The book has 10 articles and an introduction published by the Social Trends Institute of Spain and the US which explores matters of family, bioethics, culture & lifestyles and corporate governance. One of the contributors to Is this Cell is Dominican Father Nicanor Austriaco of Providence College. Father Nicanor is also the author of the popular monograph, Understanding Stem Cell Research: Controversy and Promise (www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/cis/cis326.pdf).

Of their new work STI said, “The central question of this book is whether or not particular cell entities of human origin ought to be considered human beings.”

The CNA article is here.

Daniel Sulmasy: Franciscan Friar-Doctor-Ethicist appointed Presidential post

Not long ago President Obama appointed Franciscan Brother Daniel Sulmasy, MD, to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. He’s universally well-received for his competence, compassion and humor. Oh, yes, the President did appoint a Catholic, a religious and a pro-life member to the commission.

Brother Daniel is a professed member of the Order of Friars Minor of the Holy Name Province and he’s a friend and collaborator with Communion and Liberation. He spoke at the first annual New York Encounter in January, 2010.

Until last year he worked here in NYC until he took a job at the University of Chicago.

The National Catholic Register ran an article on Brother Daniel.

An interview with Brother Daniel, “Doctor and Brother” by Joan Frawley Desmond

The Franciscan announcement.