Pope hails potential of adult stem cell research



CITY — Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday spoke out in favour of adult stem cell research and called for any ensuing treatments to benefit all who need the care regardless of their financial means.

"Illness is no respecter of persons, and justice demands that every effort be made to place the fruits of scientific research at the disposal of all who stand to benefit from them, irrespective of their means," Benedict told some 250 delegates who attended a Vatican conference on the research this week.

The Vatican, which is opposed to embryonic stem cell therapy because it requires the destruction of a human embryo, hosted experts in adult stem cells, seen by the Roman Catholic Church as an alternative since no embryo is involved.

In May 2010, the Holy See signed a deal with US biopharmaceutical company NeoStem that specialises in adult stem cells and the Vatican has already invested one million dollars (730,000 euros) in the company's work.

"The potential benefits of adult stem cell research are very considerable," the pope told the experts Saturday, while also speaking of the ethical concerns.

The fact that human embryonic stem cells (ESC) can potentially become any type of cell in the body has long held out the tantalising promise of diseased organs or tissue being repaired or replaced with healthy, lab-grown cells.

"When the end in view is one so eminently desirable as the discovery of a cure for degenerative illnesses, it is tempting for scientists and policymakers to brush aside ethical objections...," Benedict said of embryonic stem cell research.

But the discovery in 2007 that it is possible to coax certain adult cells back into their immature, pre-specialised state has fuelled renewed efforts to generate brand new muscle, heart or even brain cells, this time from raw material provided by the patient.

And for the Church adult stem cells pose no ethical dilemma.

"No such ethical problems arise when stem cells are taken from the tissues of an adult organism, from the blood of the umbilical cord at the moment of birth, or from fetuses who have died of natural causes," the pope said.

The Vatican hailed its conference on adult stem cells as dispelling the widespread notion that the Catholic Church is at "loggerheads with science", said Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, head of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

....

Taken from:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i1VaV9JxfM1dq6igCeLR1C0UmibA?docId=CNG.cbc3ed79698bb9cab8ad6a92169ceb0c.31

'Science cannot explain human existence': Pope Benedict XVI



'Science cannot explain human existence'Benedict tells religious leaders that science provides invaluable understanding but has its limitations



Riazat Butt and John Hooper guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 September 2010 15.08 BST Article history

Pope Benedict at a meeting of religious leaders at St Mary's University College in Strawberry Hill, south-west London. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters



The pope intervened in the debate over the origins of the universe today by claiming that science could not explain the "ultimate meaning" of human existence.



Speaking at St Mary's University College in Strawberry Hill, south-west London, Benedict told an audience of religious leaders from different faiths that the human and natural sciences provided us with an "invaluable understanding" of aspects of our existence.



But he said science could not satisfy the "fundamental" question about why we exist.



"They cannot satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart, they cannot fully explain to us our origin and our destiny, why and for what purpose we exist, nor indeed can they provide us with an exhaustive answer to the question 'Why is there something rather than nothing?'"



He may well have been referring to Stephen Hawking, who writes in his latest book that no divine force is needed to explain why the universe was formed. He argued in The Grand Design that physics, and not a creator, was responsible for the Big Bang.



The pope warned against rejecting religion in favour of a purely scientific outlook. "Never allow yourselves to become narrow. The world needs good scientists, but a scientific outlook becomes dangerous and narrow if it ignores the riches or ethical dimensions of life. Just as religion becomes narrow if it rejects the legitimate contribution of science to our understanding of the world."



He added: "We need good historians, and philosophers and economists but if the accounts they give of human life is too narrowly focused they can lead us seriously astray."



The pope also used his wide-ranging speech – made before the revelation that five men had been arrested in connection with an alleged threat against him – to reiterate his opposition to the persecution of Christian minorities. He said that restricting religious freedom was an obstacle to interfaith dialogue.



Earlier the pope warned against the cult of celebrity and wealth, telling about 4,000 school pupils and young people that "money is not enough to make us happy".
He urged them to find happiness in God instead of modelling themselves on sport or entertainment stars.



In contrast to his strongly worded addresses yesterday, the pope struck a more informal tone. "I hope that among those of you listening to me today there are some of the future saints of the 21st century," he said.



Benedict is known for baffling lay audiences with abstruse dissertations on the faith. But on this occasion, he made a point of talking in a language that was calculated to reach his listeners.

In an address that was relayed to Catholic schools around the country, he said: "Perhaps some of you think being a saint is not for you. Let me explain what I mean. When we are young, we can usually think of people that we look up to, people we admire, people we want to be like.

"We live in a celebrity culture and young people are often encouraged to model themselves on figures from the world of sport or entertainment."

But by inviting his listeners to become saints, the pope said he was asking them "not to be content with second best".



He urged them not to be swayed by the motivations of wealth: "Having money makes it possible to be generous and do good in the world, but on its own, it is not enough to make us happy.

"Being highly skilled in some activity or profession is good, but it will not satisfy us unless we aim for something greater still. It might make us famous, but it will not make us happy."



Taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/17/pope-benedict-science-not-enough