VATICAN CITY, NOV. 17, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- Medicine must be "at the service

  of the integral well-being of the person" and not be simply geared to

  "technical and organizational efficiency," John Paul II told participants

  at a health-care conference today.

  Among those hearing the Holy Father's address were 500 ambassadors,

  ministers, doctors and pastoral care agents from 66 countries, who are

  attending the "Health and Society" international conference, organized by

  the Vatican.

  "A disordered medical science would not only endanger the life of each

  individual, but also social coexistence itself," the Pope warned.

  In fact, he added, "a medicine that is oriented primarily to enrich itself

  with knowledge with a view to its own technological efficiency, would

  betray its original 'ethos,' opening the door to harmful evolutions."

  "Only by being at the service of man's integral well-being, will medicine

  contribute to his progress and happiness, and not be converted into an

  instrument of manipulation and death," the Pontiff added.

  He appealed to health agents to "recover some criteria of ethical and

  anthropological discernment, which allow them to evaluate if their

  decisions in medicine and health are really to the measure of man, whom

  they must serve."

  "You must always know how to recognize the ethical norms with the same

  care, whose center is the human being, with his dignity as a person; with

  respect for his right to birth, life and death in a dignified way, which is

  the profound imperative in which medical practice must be inspired," the

  Pope added.

  The Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care organized the congress,

  which will study new biomedical technologies as well as the relations

  between Catholic health institutions and all other private and public

  hospitals and clinics.

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