Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil

- THE RIGHTS OF THE EMBRYO

Considering that:

1) All of us are entitled to life, a gift from God;

2) The spirit starts his/her new existence on Earth when conception occurs; after this moment, the spirit controls all phases of his/her own embryogenesis, up to the end of the gestation period;

3) According to the Book of the Spirits (O Livro dos Espíritos), embryos may or may not hold spirits that are programmed to reincarnate;

4) There is no scientific consensus regarding human or therapeutic cloning, nor about genetic manipulation;

We resolve that:

1) The rights of the embryo start at the very moment conception occurs;

2) We oppose any contraceptive method that interferes in the embryogenesis and brings it to an end after the conception has occurred;

3) We oppose any kind of intervention aimed at interrupting the gestation process in any of its stages, regardless of whether or not it is considered to be therapeutic, except in those cases where the mother’s life is at risk;

4) In the presence of congenital embryo malformation [anencephaly, hydroencephalia (brain dropsy), heart diseases, myelomeningocele and others], we recommend that the mother and other persons involved in the process be counseled to keep a full-term gestation;

5) We find birth-control methods acceptable, provided that they simply prevent the conception from occurring (oral or barrier contraceptive methods, - condoms and diaphragm; or the Ogino-Knauss method, for instance);

6) Since we are not able to identify which frozen embryos are connected to spirits that are programmed to reincarnate, all of them should be preserved;

7) We currently oppose human cloning, either for reproductive or therapeutic purposes, because we are not allowed to perform experiments with anima nobili (living human beings);

8) As preventive measure, Spiritist Medical Associations (AMEs) should implement sexual orientation programs aimed at parents and educators, children and teenagers.

Guidelines from the II Spiritist Medical Doctors International Meeting – IV National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (II Encontro Internacional de Médicos Espíritas – IV Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil) - 21/06/2003

- REGARDING ABORTION

Considering that:

1) Our bioethical paradigm is based on reincarnation, as explained by the Spiritist Doctrine; it accepts the ontological dignity of the human being as something applicable right from our zygote form, at the moment life starts;

2) Life is not a disposable commodity that we can get rid of. Scientific research on the origins of life and on embryogenesis and fetal psyche functioning suggests the existence of an Intelligent Planner, a Supreme Being, whose presence can be observed at both micro and macrocosm. The level of difficulty scientists face when trying to define life, along with the inability to create life in the laboratory, are just a few of the many indications we have on how great and complex Divine Creation is;

We oppose any method that interrupts life at any time in the “zygote-senior” continuum, including the “day-after pill”. We are favorable to Family Planning initiatives based on non-abortive methods, such as IUD (intra-uterine device) and others, provided that they are used in the fertile window in combination with a barrier contraceptive method.

Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005

- REGARDING THE SO-CALLED "ANENCEPHALIC" FETUS

Considering that:

1) The being that suffers from anencephaly is actually provided with different parts of the brain, such as the brain stem, thalamic region and even portions of the brain cortex. This means that this fetus is provided with the regions responsible for the automated control of visceral functions, such as heart beat or the ability to breath without artificial assistance when born;

2) Some scientists believe that the brain stem and the regions surrounding deeper areas of the brain represent the substrate that connects to the mind and conscience, therefore indicating the presence of the spirit;

We oppose practices of abortion of anencephalic fetus, because we cannot treat such beings as “disposable”. We recognize the right of the anencephalic fetus to live, regardless of how short its life might be.

Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005

- REGARDING THE HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Considering that:

1) Research on human embryonic stem cells suggest a high risk for tumor generation and rejection processes, no matter how promising they seem to be in theory;

2) Such research is carried out with no due respect towards the embryo, which is reduced to the condition of “an object”;

3) A life (the embryo’s) cannot be interrupted for the benefit of another life;

4) Most recent research indicates that adult stem cells have greater potential for use and usability, while also presenting lower rejection and tumor generation risks; they have shown good results against leukemia, heart diseases, brain disorders "cerebral vascular accident" (CVA) etc.;

We oppose the use of human embryonic stem cells in either therapy or research, although we remain favorable to using stem cells of adult individuals, as well as those taken from the umbilical cord.

Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005

- REGARDING EUTHANASIA, DYSTANASIA AND NATURAL DEATH

1) We oppose any method that accelerates the natural process of death of any human being, regardless of whether through euthanasia – either active or passive – or by means of assisted suicide;

2) We oppose the practice of dystanasia, because we understand it is a useless extension of life, most often driven by therapeutic or diagnostic obstinacy, through the use of artificial means that otherwise bring no immediate benefits to the patient, but on the contrary, leading to a tormented death process with lots of suffering – organic, psychic and spiritual.

3) We support practices that lead to natural death, which is the death that comes at the right time. We are expected to respect our patient’s autonomy – the patient’s beliefs, fears, desires and hopes - providing him/her with all medical, psychological, religious and family support that will lead to a painless death. This will allow the patient to live his/her last moments on Earth with all the dignity the person deserves. We understand that the death process is an important step for the moral advancement of the Spirit. It is a process filled with enriching experiences, both for the medical doctor and for the patient, especially when both understand the immortality of the spirit.

Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005

- EUTHANASIA

Considering that:

1) Life is a gift provided by God and only God Himself can take it from us;

2) We all have the right to have our lives preserved;

3) Life on Earth is needed for the improvement of the spirit and, therefore, it should be preserved up to its natural end;

We resolve that:

1) We oppose any euthanasia method aimed at shortening life and anticipating discarnation;

2) We oppose dystanasia as a means for extending the patient’s life through the use of therapeutic processes whose effects prove to be more severe than the illness itself, or otherwise useless, when cure is considered to be impossible, and also when the expected benefit is less relevant than the predictable inconveniences;

3) We are favorable to orthotanasia defined as a method to allow discarnation at the right time, diminishing pain and not incurring in the abusive extension of life through the use of inappropriate means that would otherwise cause additional suffering;

4) We oppose any assisted suicide method, here defined as a voluntary action that the doctor takes to abbreviate the patient’s life when the patient requests to die.

Let us not forget that we are committed to life!...





		- THE RIGHTS OF THE EMBRYO Considering that: 1) All of us are entitled to life, a gift from God; 2) The spirit starts his/her new existence on Earth when conception occurs; after this moment, the spirit controls all phases of his/her own embryogenesis, up to the end of the gestation period; 3) According to the Book of the Spirits (O Livro dos Espíritos), embryos may or may not hold spirits that are programmed to reincarnate; 4) There is no scientific consensus regarding human or therapeutic cloning, nor about genetic manipulation; We resolve that: 1) The rights of the embryo start at the very moment conception occurs; 2) We oppose any contraceptive method that interferes in the embryogenesis and brings it to an end after the conception has occurred; 3) We oppose any kind of intervention aimed at interrupting the gestation process in any of its stages, regardless of whether or not it is considered to be therapeutic, except in those cases where the mother’s life is at risk; 4) In the presence of congenital embryo malformation [anencephaly, hydroencephalia (brain dropsy), heart diseases, myelomeningocele and others], we recommend that the mother and other persons involved in the process be counseled to keep a full-term gestation; 5) We find birth-control methods acceptable, provided that they simply prevent the conception from occurring (oral or barrier contraceptive methods, - condoms and diaphragm; or the Ogino-Knauss method, for instance); 6) Since we are not able to identify which frozen embryos are connected to spirits that are programmed to reincarnate, all of them should be preserved; 7) We currently oppose human cloning, either for reproductive or therapeutic purposes, because we are not allowed to perform experiments with anima nobili (living human beings); 8) As preventive measure, Spiritist Medical Associations (AMEs) should implement sexual orientation programs aimed at parents and educators, children and teenagers. Guidelines from the II Spiritist Medical Doctors International Meeting – IV National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (II Encontro Internacional de Médicos Espíritas – IV Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil) - 21/06/2003 - REGARDING ABORTION Considering that: 1) Our bioethical paradigm is based on reincarnation, as explained by the Spiritist Doctrine; it accepts the ontological dignity of the human being as something applicable right from our zygote form, at the moment life starts; 2) Life is not a disposable commodity that we can get rid of. Scientific research on the origins of life and on embryogenesis and fetal psyche functioning suggests the existence of an Intelligent Planner, a Supreme Being, whose presence can be observed at both micro and macrocosm. The level of difficulty scientists face when trying to define life, along with the inability to create life in the laboratory, are just a few of the many indications we have on how great and complex Divine Creation is; We oppose any method that interrupts life at any time in the “zygote-senior” continuum, including the “day-after pill”. We are favorable to Family Planning initiatives based on non-abortive methods, such as IUD (intra-uterine device) and others, provided that they are used in the fertile window in combination with a barrier contraceptive method. Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005 - REGARDING THE SO-CALLED "ANENCEPHALIC" FETUS Considering that: 1) The being that suffers from anencephaly is actually provided with different parts of the brain, such as the brain stem, thalamic region and even portions of the brain cortex. This means that this fetus is provided with the regions responsible for the automated control of visceral functions, such as heart beat or the ability to breath without artificial assistance when born; 2) Some scientists believe that the brain stem and the regions surrounding deeper areas of the brain represent the substrate that connects to the mind and conscience, therefore indicating the presence of the spirit; We oppose practices of abortion of anencephalic fetus, because we cannot treat such beings as “disposable”. We recognize the right of the anencephalic fetus to live, regardless of how short its life might be. Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005 - REGARDING THE HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS Considering that: 1) Research on human embryonic stem cells suggest a high risk for tumor generation and rejection processes, no matter how promising they seem to be in theory; 2) Such research is carried out with no due respect towards the embryo, which is reduced to the condition of “an object”; 3) A life (the embryo’s) cannot be interrupted for the benefit of another life; 4) Most recent research indicates that adult stem cells have greater potential for use and usability, while also presenting lower rejection and tumor generation risks; they have shown good results against leukemia, heart diseases, brain disorders "cerebral vascular accident" (CVA) etc.; We oppose the use of human embryonic stem cells in either therapy or research, although we remain favorable to using stem cells of adult individuals, as well as those taken from the umbilical cord. Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005 - REGARDING EUTHANASIA, DYSTANASIA AND NATURAL DEATH 1) We oppose any method that accelerates the natural process of death of any human being, regardless of whether through euthanasia – either active or passive – or by means of assisted suicide; 2) We oppose the practice of dystanasia, because we understand it is a useless extension of life, most often driven by therapeutic or diagnostic obstinacy, through the use of artificial means that otherwise bring no immediate benefits to the patient, but on the contrary, leading to a tormented death process with lots of suffering – organic, psychic and spiritual. 3) We support practices that lead to natural death, which is the death that comes at the right time. We are expected to respect our patient’s autonomy – the patient’s beliefs, fears, desires and hopes - providing him/her with all medical, psychological, religious and family support that will lead to a painless death. This will allow the patient to live his/her last moments on Earth with all the dignity the person deserves. We understand that the death process is an important step for the moral advancement of the Spirit. It is a process filled with enriching experiences, both for the medical doctor and for the patient, especially when both understand the immortality of the spirit. Guidelines from the V National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (V Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil - MEDNESP) – 05/28/2005 - EUTHANASIA Considering that: 1) Life is a gift provided by God and only God Himself can take it from us; 2) We all have the right to have our lives preserved; 3) Life on Earth is needed for the improvement of the spirit and, therefore, it should be preserved up to its natural end; We resolve that: 1) We oppose any euthanasia method aimed at shortening life and anticipating discarnation; 2) We oppose dystanasia as a means for extending the patient’s life through the use of therapeutic processes whose effects prove to be more severe than the illness itself, or otherwise useless, when cure is considered to be impossible, and also when the expected benefit is less relevant than the predictable inconveniences; 3) We are favorable to orthotanasia defined as a method to allow discarnation at the right time, diminishing pain and not incurring in the abusive extension of life through the use of inappropriate means that would otherwise cause additional suffering; 4) We oppose any assisted suicide method, here defined as a voluntary action that the doctor takes to abbreviate the patient’s life when the patient requests to die. Let us not forget that we are committed to life!... Guidelines from the II Spiritist Medical Doctors International Meeting – IV National Congress of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (II Encontro Internacional de Médicos Espíritas – IV Congresso Nacional da Associação Médico Espírita do Brasil) - 21/06/2003