2020_10_19_MED_acuerdo_fundacion_jerome_lejeune

The School of Medicine of the University of Navarra and the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation have established a framework of partnership for the development of national and international initiatives in the field of Medicine and Bioethics. "This is a agreement that reinforces our commitment to a deeply human Medicine, which uses the most advanced medical knowledge always from a deep respect for the dignity of patients, from conception to their natural death, and which enables a medical and scientific development with a mentality of service to society," says Dr. Secundino Fernandez, Dean of the School of Medicine. 

The Foundation, with offices in France, Spain, USA and Argentina, continues the bequest of Dr. Jérôme Lejeune, promoting the research on intelligence-based diseases Genetics, and preserving the care, dignity and respect for people affected by trisomy 21 or other genetic anomalies. With the signature of this agreement, both institutions are preparing to launch programs of postgraduate program, official or own degrees, aimed at professionals in the health sector or related fields, both face-to-face and online. In addition, they will develop scientific research projects on the aforementioned areas, and will organize training events, conference scientific events and update sessions aimed at healthcare professionals or the general public.

From the Spanish delegation of the Foundation, where the headquarters of the Chair International Bioethics "Jérôme Lejeune" is located, its president Mónica López Barahona highlights the importance of this agreement, which will serve to promote theinternship medical that places the value of the person at the center. "For this reason, collaborating with the School of Medicine of the University of Navarra is for our Foundation a reason for hope that drives us to offer Spanish society the best of our experience in bioethics and the care of each patient together with a leading institution in this internship at the international level."    

This agreement is part of the strategic plan that the School of Medicine of the University of Navarra has launched for the period 2020-2025 with which it intends to be a reference letter in the training of health professionals, and which has as its backbone the complete renewal of the Degree in MedicineThe main focus of the program is the complete renovation of the Medical School, as well as a commitment to Medical Ethics and new teaching methodologies.

Science at the service of the weakest

Dr. Jérôme Lejeune is considered the father of modern Genetics . He identified in 1958 the trisomy of chromosome pair 21 that defines Down syndrome, which opened the way to cytogenetics. His work led him to reflect on the great questions of human life and on the role that medicine and research should play in the defense of the weakest. In 1974 he received the doctorate honoris causa from the University of Navarra. "He had the recognition of the highest academic Degree , the doctorate honoris causa, when he was being subjected to a hard moment of persecution for defending life from the moment of conception. internship And many years later we take up this witness, this beginning of the relationship between the two institutions, and it is our privilege to give expression now to what the University of Navarra recognized in Professor Lejeune at that time". He was also the driving force and promoter of the Pontifical Academy for Life together with St. John Paul II and his cause for beatification is currently at development in the Vatican.