The Vatican welcomed the fourth edition of the Unite To Cure Conference, which joins health care professionals from around the world for discussions on the future of medicine.
Throughout the three-day event, key topics from Pope Francis' vision were addressed, such as preserving the environment, preventative medicine and health care for the most vulnerable. The encounter provided a unique opportunity for constructive dialogue on maintaining and improving lives.
DR. ROBIN SMITH
President, Cura Foundation
“We've had scientists, patients and religious leaders, and we're hearing from different perspectives how they look at this technology, how they look at longevity and the ability to enhance the length of time that people will live and what that means... how belief, the faith and even some of the teachings of the Church affect health and vice versa.”
Participants were informed on all of the latest advancements for cure and prevention of the 8,000 rare diseases in existence. However, along with new developments like gene editing come numerous ethical concerns.
DR. ROBIN SMITH
President, Cura Foundation
“The scary part is where do you draw the line? We have the ability today to pick hair color, eye color and intelligence of our children. Should you?What would that do to humanity, and how does that affect society and culture? How do we see what our limits should be, and who should enforce them?”
These issues will surely be discussed for conferences to come. What's certain is that the Vatican will continue collaborating with health experts to ensure both the planet and those on it are properly cared for.
