A path of wisdom is needed

The French bishops have intervened on the case of the baby boy born to parents of Turkish origin at Clamart in France on 26 January. Thanks to guided in-vitro fertilization, and genetic matching, this baby (Ulmit-Talha) will permit doctors to treat his baby brother who suffers from a congenital blood disorder. The whole case came to light just on the eve of the re-opening of the examination of the bill on bioethics in the French National Assembly. We cite below the opinion of Monsignor Pierre d’Ornellas, Archbishop of Rennes and chairman of the Work Group on Bioethics of the French Bishops’ Conference.In effect the birth of the first “bébé-médicament”, the first “medicine baby”, in France highlights the humanity that’s at stake and that is concealed behind the reform of the law on bioethics. What’s needed is to find a path that may combine unconditional respect for the human dignity of all human beings, in particular those who are most vulnerable, and the use of those biomedical techniques permitted by scientific progress. It is on this road that the true progress of humanity can be found.We find ourselves at the crossroads of these paths. We need to reflect “ex novo” on the limits of technology and its uses. We need to beware of the rapid increase in the reckless use of technologies, as we gradually learn to master them. We would be blamed by future generations if we failed to do so: what is technically feasible is not necessarily reasonable, neither in itself nor in the general interest. A technology that would like to suppress any kind of vulnerability would be out of place, since vulnerability belongs to the human condition itself. It is for this reason that no society can live without love. Love for the most vulnerable and respect for the dignity of each are the very foundations of our life together in society. The humanity at stake consists in gauging any technical exploit on the basis of respect for those who are most vulnerable. The humanity at stake also consists in evaluating any scientific research on the basis of responsible freedom, which chooses respect as the way of progress. We need to be clear-sighted to appreciate what’s at stake in this respect for the general interest of society and for its future. For vulnerable people lead to the emergence of unsuspected resources of humanity that are indispensable for our ever more technological and stressed-out society. We must be courageous so as not to succumb to the temptation of embracing technical exploits at the expense of respect. This courage enables us to make wise decisions in the field of therapeutic research. Future generations will thank us for this courage. Reconciling the ethics of respect and the ethics of vulnerability with the use of biomedical techniques means conducting a work of wisdom for the woman and for the man, as well as for their children. Opening the way to this path of wisdom is our common responsibility for the generations to come. This cannot be exclusively a task for experts who decide on behalf of others. That’s why dialogue is the indispensable condition for true progress.The Catholic Church is very interested in debates relating to the reform of the laws on bioethics. Many Catholics, in their profession or in their associated endeavours, find themselves faced by the questions raised by the progress of biomedical technologies. They participated in the “Etats généraux de la bioéthique”, offering their own contribution, the fruit of numerous exchanges and of various experiences. They did so in their role as citizens among other citizens. They also engaged in dialogue.For its part, the French Bishops’ Conference has participated in the dialogue in every preparatory stage of the current reform of the law on bioethics. It has worked tirelessly and has helped to make others understand the questions raised for a just discernment, in relation to the dignity and the vulnerability of the human being, and at the same time it has helped to encourage scientific research. It’s a dialogue exemplified by four publications and by the blog www.bioethique.catholique.fr. This dialogue rests on spiritual convictions, but it primarily consists in a line of rational conduct that permits numerous convergences with non-Christians and with non-believers. It is highly significant that all the ethical positions of the Catholic Church are shared also by a certain number of non-believers. Dialogue demands a great deal of work and a great deal of listening. It arouses these rational convergences for the good of everyone. It rejects slapdashness and obscurantism. It widens individual horizons beyond particular interests. It enables the true way of progress to be found. It fosters the courage required both by the ethics of respect and by the ethics of vulnerability. We hope that the deputies [in the National Assembly] let themselves be guided by their own conscience within a serene and exhaustive debate.