Lejeune was nominated for the Nobel Prize, but his candidacy did not go ahead due to his position in favor of life y Against abortion of children with this genetic alteration. This French scientist was appointed by Pope John Paul II as a member of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life.
Jérôme Lejeune was born on June 13, 1926 in France and died in 1994. After his discovery, he suffered great disappointment when he realized that governments used the detection of Down syndrome to abort these children, and not to contribute to the treatment of this disability.
For this reason, he dedicated his life to defending these children and opposed the abortion law in France, although this cost him rejection from the scientific community and he stopped receiving donations for his research.
Currently, it is in the process of beatification. On January 21, 2021, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints that recognizes his heroic virtues, a preliminary step for the recognition of him as blessed.