Stem cells are unethical and non–catholic
Vatican cancels Stem Cell Conference
The third "International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research" was to be held from April 25 to 28, 2012.
Priest Scott Borgman, one of the organizers of the event and secretary of the Pontifical Academy for the Defense of Life, cited logistical, organizational and financial factors as the official reasons for the cancellation of the event.
Catholic News Agency, an independent information service located in the US state of Colorado, believes that the main reason for the cancellation was the participation in the congress of a large number of scientists working with embryonic stem cells. The Catholic Church considers such studies unethical.
The information service quotes an unnamed member of the Pontifical Academy for the Defense of Life, who stressed that the cancellation of the event was "a huge relief for many members of the Academy. We felt that the presence at the congress of scientists involved in the study of embryonic stem cells (including the main speaker) would mean a betrayal of the mission of the Academy" (Controversial Vatican stem cell conference cancelled).
The version of this news agency is supported by scientists who were supposed to speak at the congress. "I think that only one interpretation of the fact of the cancellation of the conference is correct – we were censored. It is very disappointing that they are not disposed to hear the truth," commented Alan Trounson, head of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, who also participated in the research of embryonic stem cells.
The key speaker of the Congress, George Daley, who studies stem cells at Boston Children's Hospital, explained that he was asked not to mention embryonic stem cells in his speech, which he planned to discuss in a historical context.
A number of European scientists, who called for a boycott of the event, rejoiced at its cancellation. Christine Mummery, a scientist at Leiden University (Netherlands), called this event "good news." "The very name of the conference – "Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research" – already repels me. I think that the event is not an open discussion platform, and scientists working with embryonic stem cells would be there in the role of "bad guys".
During the conference, a two-hour audience with Pope Benedict XVI was to take place.
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27.03.2012