Sunday, April 28, 2013
475. When are scientific, medical, or psychological experiments on human individuals or groups morally legitimate?
(Comp 475) They are morally legitimate when they are at the service of the integral
good of the person and of society, without disproportionate risks to the life
and physical and psychological integrity of the subjects who must be properly
informed and consenting.
“In brief”
(CCC 2319) Every human life, from
the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has
been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy
God.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2292) Scientific, medical, or psychological experiments
on human individuals or groups can contribute to healing the sick and the
advancement of public health. (CCC 2293) Basic scientific research, as well as
applied research, is a significant expression of man's dominion over creation.
Science and technology are precious resources when placed at the service of man
and promote his integral development for the benefit of all. By themselves
however they cannot disclose the meaning of existence and of human progress.
Science and technology are ordered to man, from whom they take their origin and
development; hence they find in the person and in his moral values both
evidence of their purpose and awareness of their limits
Reflection
(CCC 2294) It is an illusion to claim moral neutrality in
scientific research and its applications. On the other hand, guiding principles
cannot be inferred from simple technical efficiency, or from the usefulness
accruing to some at the expense of others or, even worse, from prevailing
ideologies. Science and technology by their very nature require unconditional
respect for fundamental moral criteria. They must be at the service of the
human person, of his inalienable rights, of his true and integral good, in
conformity with the plan and the will of God. (CCC 2295) Research or
experimentation on the human being cannot legitimate acts that are in
themselves contrary to the dignity of persons and to the moral law. The
subjects' potential consent does not justify such acts. Experimentation on
human beings is not morally legitimate if it exposes the subject's life or
physical and psychological integrity to disproportionate or avoidable risks.
Experimentation on human beings does not conform to the dignity of the person
if it takes place without the informed consent of the subject or those who
legitimately speak for him.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment