Vatican Press Office statement on Transgenic Plants

Following requests for clarification on the publication of the final Statement of the Study Week on “Transgenic Plants for Food Security in the Context of Development”, sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Director of the Vatican Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, provides the following answers:

“The Study Week took place in the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences from 15 to 19 May 2009, with the participation of 40 scholars, seven of which are Pontifical Academicians (out of a total of 80), including the late President, Prof. Nicola Cabibbo. The other participants were outside experts.

The final Statement, now published by Elsevier in the Proceedings of the Study Week, was signed by the participants and thus has the value of their scientific authority. However, the Statement must not be considered as a Statement of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which has 80 members, because the Academy, as such, has never been consulted about it nor is such a consultation planned. Furthermore, the Statement cannot be considered an official position of the Holy See or of the Magisterium of the Church on the topic”.