Chloe Ramirez
The use of aborted fetal cells in vaccine development has been a contentious issue, with opposition on religious and moral grounds. While vaccines do not contain fetal cells or tissue, some vaccines are developed and tested using cell lines derived from fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions. This practice began in the 1960s, and the original fetal cells have continued to replicate, removing the need for new sources of fetal cells. The COVID-19 vaccines, for example, utilized fetal cell lines during research, development, and production, while the Pfizer, Moderna, and Sputnik-V vaccines used fetal cell lines only in testing. The Catholic Church has taken a nuanced stance, acknowledging the immorality of abortion but permitting the use of vaccines derived from fetal cell lines when no alternative exists and there is a significant health risk.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vaccines that use aborted fetal cells | Rubella, Chickenpox, Shingles, Adenovirus, M-M-R-II (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), VARIVAX (Varicella), HAVRIX (Hepatitis A), Pfizer, Sputnik-V, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Imovax |
| Religious views on vaccines with aborted fetal cells | The Catholic Church is opposed to abortion but has stated that it is not sinful to accept vaccines made with aborted fetal cells if there is a grave health risk. The Vatican has clarified that "it is morally licit" for Catholics to receive vaccines derived from fetal cell lines. |
| Religious leaders' views on vaccines with aborted fetal cells | Many religious leaders from a variety of faiths have spoken in favor of vaccination. |
| Do vaccines contain aborted fetal cells? | No, vaccines do not contain aborted fetal cells or fetal tissue. However, fetal cell lines – cells grown in a laboratory based on aborted fetal cells collected generations ago – were used in testing during research and development of the mRNA vaccines, and during production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. |
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What You'll Learn
Fetal cells are used to grow vaccine viruses
Fetal cells have been used to develop vaccines since the 1930s. The first medical application of cell lines derived from fetal tissues was in the production of the first polio vaccines. For example, in the 1950s, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden propagated a polio virus in fetal cell lines to make a polio vaccine.
Viruses need cells to grow and tend to grow better in human cells than animal cells. Fetal cells are isolated from the sterile environment of the womb, meaning they are not infected with other viruses, and the vaccines produced using these cells will not inadvertently introduce any other viruses. Fetal cells can also be maintained at very low temperatures, such as in liquid nitrogen, allowing scientists to continue using the same fetal cell lines isolated decades ago.
The use of fetal tissue in vaccine development has been opposed on religious and moral grounds. The Catholic Church, for example, has encouraged its members to use alternative vaccines produced without human cell lines if possible. However, the Vatican has clarified that it is "morally licit" for Catholics to receive vaccines derived from fetal cell lines if there is a grave health risk, and religious leaders from a variety of faiths have spoken in favor of vaccination.
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Vaccines do not contain fetal cells or DNA
Fetal cells have been used in the development of vaccines since the 1960s. However, it is important to note that vaccines themselves do not contain fetal cells or DNA. Once the vaccine viruses are grown in the fetal cells, they undergo a purification process to separate the viruses from the cells and substances used to help the cells grow. This purification process ensures that any cellular debris and growth reagents, including DNA, are removed.
The use of fetal cells in vaccine development has been a subject of ethical debate, particularly among religious groups. Some people with strong religious convictions have expressed hesitancy about vaccines developed using fetal cell lines, as they associate it with abortion, which is a contentious issue. However, religious leaders from major religions, including Catholicism, have evaluated the use of fetal cells in vaccines and determined that it is not sinful to accept vaccines made in this manner. They emphasize the importance of preventing diseases and protecting others through vaccination.
Fetal cells were first used in the development of the rubella vaccine, and they have since been used in a handful of other vaccines, including those for chickenpox, varicella, hepatitis A, and COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine, utilizes fetal retinal cells obtained from an abortion in 1985. This retinal cell line, known as PER.C6, was adapted to enable the production of altered viruses.
The decision to use fetal cells in vaccine development was based on several scientific reasons. Firstly, viruses tend to grow better in human cells than in animal cells because they infect humans. Fetal cells, in particular, offer the benefit of being isolated from the sterile environment of the womb, reducing the risk of introducing other viruses into the vaccine. Additionally, fetal cells have not divided as many times as other cell types, allowing for longer usage.
While some people have concerns about the use of fetal cells in vaccine development, it is important to note that the same fetal cell lines obtained in the 1960s are still being used today, and no new fetal cell lines have been introduced. This means that no additional abortions have been performed for the purpose of vaccine development. Furthermore, the purification processes in vaccine production ensure that no fetal tissue or DNA is present in the final vaccine product.
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Religious views on vaccines made with fetal cells
The use of fetal cell lines in the development, manufacture, production, or testing of vaccines has led some people to seek religious exemptions from federal, state, and employer mandates. While religions around the world generally support immunization, some people with religious convictions have expressed hesitancy about vaccines developed with fetal cell lines, especially in the context of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Christian Views
Within Christianity, some Catholic and Protestant groups have expressed concerns about the use of fetal cell lines in vaccines. The Catholic Church has stated that it is morally acceptable to use vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue if no reasonable alternatives exist, emphasizing that this does not imply a moral endorsement of abortion or the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses. The Vatican has also stated that when ethically irreproachable COVID-19 vaccines are unavailable, it is acceptable to receive vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses. Some Catholic bishops in the United States have advised individuals to choose vaccines with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines when given a choice. However, other Catholic institutions, such as Holy Cross Hospital in Maryland, have chosen to use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine despite the fetal cell line issue, prioritizing its safety and effectiveness in preventing serious illness and hospitalization.
Protestant groups, including evangelicals, have also raised objections to vaccines developed with fetal cell lines, particularly the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. A Pew Research Survey conducted in February 2021 found that 36% of Protestants and 22% of Catholics were unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with some citing concerns about cooperation with abortion as a result of receiving such vaccines.
Jewish Views
Some Jewish groups have expressed concerns about vaccines that contain components with porcine (pork) origins, which is prohibited in Jewish dietary laws. The Orthodox Union and Rabbinical Council of America have issued statements regarding vaccinations and religious perspectives.
Muslim Views
Certain Muslims have raised concerns about vaccines that contain components with porcine (pork) derivatives, as pork consumption is forbidden in Islam. The World Health Organization has addressed these concerns in a letter signed by Dr. Hussein A. Gezairy.
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COVID-19 vaccines and fetal cell lines
The use of fetal cell lines in the development of vaccines has been a contentious issue, with many people expressing concerns about the ethics of using aborted fetal tissue in medical research. This debate has been brought to the fore with the development of COVID-19 vaccines, with some people refusing to be vaccinated on these grounds. However, it is important to note that COVID-19 vaccines do not contain aborted fetal cells.
Fetal cell lines are cells that are grown in a laboratory and are descended from cells taken from abortions performed decades ago. These cells have been used in the development and testing of many vaccines, including some COVID-19 vaccines. The use of fetal cells in vaccine development is due to the fact that viruses need cells to grow and tend to grow better in human cells than in animal cells. The fetal cell lines used in COVID-19 vaccines were developed from abortions that took place in the 1970s and 1980s, and the cells have since multiplied into many new cells, creating the fetal cell lines used today.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is produced using the PER.C6 fetal cell line, which was derived from retinal tissue from an 18-week-old fetus aborted in 1985. The PER.C6 cell line has been adapted to enable the production of altered viruses that cannot replicate when administered to people. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is developed using the HEK 293 fetal cell line, which was derived from kidney tissue from an abortion that took place in the early 1970s. Pfizer and Moderna also used the HEK-293 cell line during the development phase of their mRNA vaccines.
The use of fetal cell lines in vaccine development has raised ethical concerns, particularly among people with religious convictions. A Pew Research Survey conducted in February 2021 found that a significant proportion of Protestants and Catholics were unwilling to be vaccinated, with many citing concerns about cooperation with abortion. Religious leaders from various faiths, including Catholicism, have evaluated the use of fetal cells in vaccines and determined that it is not sinful to accept vaccines made in this way. The Vatican has issued guidance permitting Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines that use fetal cell lines in development or production.
For those who refuse to be vaccinated with a vaccine derived from fetal cell lines, alternatives exist, such as mRNA vaccines, which are not designed, developed, or produced in fetal cell lines. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the issue of abortion and fetal cell lines in vaccine development and to respect their patients' autonomy to make their own vaccination decisions.
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The ethics of using aborted fetal tissue in vaccines
The use of aborted fetal tissue in vaccines has been a contentious issue, with many people raising ethical concerns. Fetal cell lines have been used in the manufacture of vaccines since the 1930s, with one of the first applications being the production of the polio vaccine. Since then, fetal cells have been used in the development of vaccines for diseases such as rubella, chickenpox, shingles, adenovirus, and COVID-19.
The primary ethical concern surrounding the use of aborted fetal tissue in vaccines is the association with abortion, which is a highly controversial issue. Many individuals with strong religious convictions, particularly those from the Catholic Church, have expressed hesitancy about receiving vaccines developed using fetal cell lines. The Catholic Church's position on abortion is clear: "from the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in an absolute way, [...] no one can under any circumstance claim the right directly to destroy an innocent human being".
However, the Church has also acknowledged the potential harm caused by preventable infections, referring to it as a "grave inconvenience" that may justify the use of such vaccines. In 2005, the Pontifical Academy for Life stated that parents may allow their children to receive vaccines made from fetal tissue if no alternative exists and there is a grave health risk. Similarly, in 2020, the Vatican's doctrinal office clarified that it is "morally licit" for Catholics to receive vaccines derived from fetal cell lines if there is a significant health risk, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these statements from religious authorities, some people still oppose the use of aborted fetal tissue in vaccines on moral grounds. They argue that using fetal tissue from elective abortions obscures the value of human life and could potentially lead to scandal. Additionally, there are concerns about the commercialization of fetal tissue and the lack of respect for fetal body parts.
In conclusion, the ethics of using aborted fetal tissue in vaccines is a complex issue that involves navigating religious beliefs, moral principles, and the potential health benefits of vaccination. While some individuals and religious groups express hesitancy or opposition, religious leaders and bioethicists have also provided responses to alleviate concerns and encourage vaccination. Ultimately, the decision to receive a vaccine developed using fetal cell lines is a personal choice that considers one's values and beliefs.
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Frequently asked questions
No, not all vaccines are made with aborted fetal cells. While some vaccines are made using cell lines originally derived from fetal tissue, the COVID-19 vaccines, for example, do not contain aborted fetal cells.
Fetal cells were originally used because viruses need cells to grow and tend to grow better in human cells than animal cells. The fetal cells used in vaccines were first obtained from elective terminations in the early 1960s. These cells have continued to grow and multiply in the laboratory, so no new sources of fetal cells are needed.
The use of aborted fetal cells in vaccines is a contentious issue, particularly for those with religious convictions. The Catholic Church, for example, is opposed to abortion but has stated that it is not sinful or morally illicit to accept vaccines made using fetal cells if no alternative exists.
