[Ip-health] Statement by the Holy See at the WHO IGWG

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

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Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property
First Session, 4-8 December 2006, Geneva

Statement by Holy See Delegation

Re: Agenda Item 2.3 =96 Elements of the global strategy and plan of action

Mr. Chairman,

The Holy See delegation adds its congratulations to those already
expressed upon your election and that of the Vice Presidents to the
leadership of this important working group. Our delegation also
welcomes the preparatory work undertaken by the Secretariat before this
meeting and the intensive focus and deep level of concern reflected in
our present discussions.

With regard to general principles that should be reflected in the
Global Strategy and Plan of Action which is anticipated as one of the
outcomes from this Working Group Process, our delegation believes that
it would be beneficial to take note of an article adopted by the 33rd
General Conference of UNESCO, on 19 October 2005, in its Universal
Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. It is the following:

Article 15: Benefits resulting from any scientific research and its
applications should be shared with society as a whole and within the
international community, in particular with developing countries.

This leads us to recall the words of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI,
at the recently-held Conference on Infectious Diseases, sponsored by
the Pontifical Council on Health Pastoral Care, held at the Vatican, on
23-25 November 2006, in which he emphasized the importance of "the
equal distribution of resources for research and therapy, as well as
the promotion of living conditions that can prevent the outbreak and
spread of infectious diseases."

Finally, the Holy See Delegation wishes to express its appreciation for
citation in the Review of Recommendations of the Commission on
Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation, and Public Health, the
citation of the recommendation from the Ministerial Forum on Health
Research for Disease Control and Development, held in Accra, on 15 - 17
June 2006, to strengthen the role of WHO in improving ethical norms.
This leads us to recall again the Universal Declaration on Bioethics
and Human Rights which recommends, in Article 19: =93Independent,
multidisciplinary and pluralist ethics committees should be
established, promoted and supported at the appropriate level in order
to =85 assess the relevant ethical, legal, scientific, and social issues
related to research projects involving human beings=85=94.

In all our efforts, Mr. Chairman, the Holy See Delegation sees as
essential the promotion of respect for the dignity and value of human
life at all stages, from conception through natural death.

Thank you very much.






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Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
CPTech
voice +41.22.791.6727
fax +41.22.723.2988
mobile +41 76 508 0997
thiru@cptech.org
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