S4-3 Zamora DoH Vatican

23/01/2024
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MEDICAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
A PERSONALISTIC VISION
Prof. Dr. René Zamora Marín
President of the Cuban National Committee on Bioethics UNESCO/Academy of
Sciences
Ordinary Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Holy See
Director of the John Paul II Institute of Bioethics, CUBA
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Introduction
ü In recent decades, the rapid exponential progress of science and
technology, and in particular molecular biology, has led to significant social
transformations across various domains
ü These advancements have impacted human beliefs and values with some
concerning elements
ü Developing countries are not exempt from this challenge, with the
emergence of genetic biotechnology associated artificial intelligence (AI).
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This domain is not limited to medicine alone, as life emerges even in an
inanimate world through the exploration and utilization of information
contained in physical structures, where téchne (τέχνη) plays a fundamental
role
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New paradigm could potentially lead to
the
“objectification of people”
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Developing countries face distinct health
challenges at the beginning of the 21st
century, differing significantly in quality
and intensity from their traditional
concerns
These challenges have also compromised
research endeavors
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Declaration of Helsinki, first published
by the World Medical Association
(WMA) in 1964
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Characterization of Developing Countries
in Scientific Research and Cultural Impact
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• Developing countries exhibit a less stable and diversified
economy, featuring a low level of industrialization and a limited
presence of multinational companies.
• These nations typically experience low per capita income, a high
unemployment rate, and a constrained service sector.
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• Economic challenges are heightened due to lower
industrialization and underdeveloped infrastructure,
subsequently limiting employment opportunities and impeding
economic growth, impacting the quality of life for their
inhabitants.
• The developmental level of a country significantly influences its
population, affecting quality of life, employment opportunities,
and access to basic services.
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• The developmental level of a country significantly influences
its population, affecting:
• Substantial challenges in key areas related to quality of life,
employment opportunities, and access to basic services.
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The consequences of these characteristics manifest not
only in a scarcity of exploitable resources for scientific
research in their environment but also in the delayed or
non-existent historical emergence of a scientific work
culture, hindering progress and asserting the “status quo”
in the scientific world
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The ethical, moral, and political repercussions of
such environments have notable effects, with the
United Nations acknowledging poverty as a
“Moral responsibility of our time.”
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Fostering a culture of
scientific research
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Scientific research culture
“Knowledge society”
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Return to the concept of the person
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Conclusions
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Firstly, awareness of our vulnerability
is crucial
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Secondly, acknowledging a shared
responsibility between researchers and
all human subjects involved in research
is essential
! ! ! ! ! !
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Thirdly, there is a need to advocate for
global governance to establish globally
shared moral and political responsibility
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Precautionary Principle
Human responsibility
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Ethos of Service must be the primary vision for the
development of science and technology
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Advocate for a new ethical
perspective in the realm of
human goods
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Healthy governance over consumption,
is crucial.
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Ecological conversion becomes an ethical
imperative, rescuing the humanist ethos
and the preferential option for the poor
Pope Francis
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Ø Solidarity Responsibility
Ø Creative Hope
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“Development is the new name
of Peace“
Pope Paul VI
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