Trevor James
Vaccines do not contain fetal cells or pieces of DNA that are recognizable as human DNA. However, some vaccines are produced using fetal cell lines, which are very different from fetal tissue. Fetal cell lines consist of cells that originated from abortions that took place decades ago, primarily because viruses grow better in human cells than in animal cells. Today, the same fetal cell lines are used to create vaccines, and no new fetal cell lines have been used. The influenza vaccine can be produced using conventional egg-derived methods or cell culture-derived methods, with the latter being more suitable for large-scale production.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fetal cells in vaccines | Vaccines do not contain fetal cells or fetal tissue. |
| Fetal cell lines in vaccines | Some vaccines have been produced using fetal cell lines, which are different from fetal tissue. |
| Fetal cell lines in influenza vaccines | Influenza vaccines are produced using cell lines derived from chicken eggs, chick embryos, duck embryos, and human fetal cells. |
| Reasons for using fetal cell lines | Fetal cells have not divided as many times as other cell types, allowing for longer use. They are also isolated from the sterile environment of the womb, reducing the risk of other viruses. |
| Religious and moral concerns | There is a debate on whether individuals who disagree with abortion or are pro-life can morally accept vaccines made from fetal cell lines. |
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What You'll Learn
- Fetal cells are used to grow vaccine viruses, but vaccines do not contain these cells
- Fetal cells have been used since the 1960s, when they were obtained from abortions
- Fetal cells are preferred over animal cells because they are less likely to have been exposed to viruses
- Fetal cells can be stored at very low temperatures and used in the future
- Fetal cell lines are used to make a handful of vaccines, but not all vaccines use them
Fetal cells are used to grow vaccine viruses, but vaccines do not contain these cells
Fetal cells have been used in the creation of vaccines since the 1960s, when scientists discovered that they were better suited to vaccine development than animal cells. Fetal cells have not divided as many times as other cell types, meaning they can be used for longer. They can also be stored at very low temperatures, such as in liquid nitrogen, and they are less likely to have been exposed to other viruses.
However, it is important to note that vaccines themselves do not contain fetal cells. Once the vaccine viruses have been grown in the fetal cells, they undergo a purification process to remove cellular debris and growth reagents. This process breaks down any remaining cellular DNA, meaning that the final vaccine product does not contain any fetal cells or DNA.
The use of fetal cells in vaccine development has been a topic of debate, particularly for individuals who disagree with abortion or have certain religious beliefs. However, it is important to clarify that no new fetal cell lines have been created for vaccine development in recent decades. The fetal cell lines used today are the same ones isolated in the 1960s, and they have been continuously grown and replicated in laboratories since then.
While some vaccines, such as the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, were historically cultured from fetal cell lines, today, only a handful of vaccines continue to use these cell lines. The Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, for example, was produced using fetal retinal cells obtained from an abortion that took place in 1985.
In summary, while fetal cells have played a significant role in vaccine development, they are not present in the final vaccine products. The purification processes ensure that any cellular debris or DNA is removed, resulting in a vaccine that is safe and effective for preventing diseases.
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Fetal cells have been used since the 1960s, when they were obtained from abortions
Fetal cells have been used in vaccines since the 1960s, when scientists first used fetal cells obtained from abortions to develop an adenovirus vaccine for the military. This was followed by the life-saving rubella vaccine.
Fetal cells were originally used because viruses need cells to grow, and they tend to grow better in human cells than animal cells. Fetal cells, in particular, have not divided as many times as other cell types, so they can be used for longer. They are also less likely to have been exposed to viruses and cancer, and they can be stored at very low temperatures for future use.
The fetal cell lines obtained in the 1960s have been maintained and grown in laboratories, and they are still used today to create vaccines. However, it is important to note that vaccines do not contain fetal cells or tissue. Once the vaccine viruses are grown in the 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 are removed, and any remaining cellular DNA is broken down.
Today, fetal cell lines are used to make a handful of vaccines, but not all vaccines use them. For influenza vaccines specifically, there are three main approaches to production: the conventional egg-derived vaccine, cell culture-derived vaccines, and synthetic vaccines. The cell culture-derived influenza vaccine is a newer approach that offers faster production cycles, greater surge capacity, and a more reliable and well-characterized product compared to the traditional egg-based production process. Several cell lines have been explored for producing influenza vaccines, including MDCK cells, which are considered advantageous due to their suitability for obtaining primary isolates of influenza viruses and large-scale production.
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Fetal cells are preferred over animal cells because they are less likely to have been exposed to viruses
Fetal cells are not present in vaccines. However, they are used to grow vaccine viruses. Fetal cells are preferred over animal cells because they are less likely to have been exposed to viruses. Viruses need cells to grow and tend to grow better in human cells than animal cells. This is because they infect humans.
In the early days, scientists used animal cells to grow viruses. However, they later realized that these cells can harbour other undesirable animal viruses, which would then contaminate the vaccine. For instance, an early version of the polio vaccine administered extensively between 1955 and 1963 was produced using monkey cells. But scientists later found the cells were contaminated with a monkey virus called SV40.
The use of fetal cells was pioneered by Wistar Institute researchers Hayflick, Koprowski and Plotkin. They realized that as long as viral vaccines were being grown in animal cells, the potential existed for contamination by unidentified viruses. Hayflick had access to fetal cells, which were much less likely to have been exposed to viruses, so they started researching the use of fetal cells as growth factories for vaccine viruses. Plotkin, who had been studying rubella for years, realized that the rubella virus could grow in fetal cells since the disease was most devastating to developing fetuses when their mothers were infected during pregnancy.
Koprowski also started working on a version of the polio vaccine grown in fetal cells, performing a series of experiments to determine its safety before giving it to babies. Fetal cells have also been used in the testing, development, and production of COVID-19 vaccines. The J&J vaccine, for example, was grown in fetal retinal cells. However, the fetal cells were extracted and filtered out, so they are not present in the final vaccine.
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Fetal cells can be stored at very low temperatures and used in the future
Vaccines do not contain fetal cells. However, some vaccines involve growing viruses in human cell cultures originally developed from fetal cells. These cell lines are still in use, so no new fetal cells are needed. The purification processes during vaccine production filter and break down the cellular debris, ensuring that no fetal tissue remains.
Fetal cells can be cryopreserved for long-term storage and future use. Cryopreservation is a process of using very low temperatures to preserve cells and tissues for an indefinite amount of time. By lowering the temperature to below -80°C to -196°C, cellular metabolism is suspended, and biological aging is slowed. This technique is crucial for maintaining an adequate cell stock, as cell lines are valuable resources that are expensive and time-consuming to replace.
The specific protocols for freezing cells involve slowly reducing the temperature using controlled rate cryo-freezers or cryo-freezing containers. The cells are then transferred to liquid nitrogen and stored in the gas phase above the liquid nitrogen, typically below -130°C to -135°C. This storage method reduces the risk of explosion and ensures the safety of biohazardous materials.
The freezing process requires diligent attention to passaging procedures and storage requirements, including the use of personal protective equipment and proper sterile techniques. Cryopreservation media ingredients, such as culture media containing fetal bovine serum and cryoprotectants, play a significant role in preserving cell viability and recovery after thawing. Commercially available options like CryoStor® CS10 and mFreSR™ provide a safe and protective environment for cells during freezing, storage, and thawing.
In summary, fetal cells can be stored at very low temperatures and used in the future through cryopreservation techniques. This process involves slowly freezing the cells, using specific storage containers and media ingredients, and maintaining temperatures below -80°C to -196°C. These methods ensure the long-term preservation of fetal cells for future use in vaccine development and other research applications.
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Fetal cell lines are used to make a handful of vaccines, but not all vaccines use them
Vaccines do not contain fetal cells or "parts of fetuses". However, fetal cell lines have been used to grow viruses that make vaccines. These cell lines were first obtained from elective terminations of pregnancies in the 1960s, and scientists have since been able to continue producing cell lines from the original fetal cells. This means that no new fetal cell lines are needed to make vaccines today.
Fetal cells were originally used because viruses need cells to grow, and they tend to grow better in human cells than in animal cells. Fetal cells are also preferable because they have not divided as many times as other cell types, so they can be used for longer. Additionally, they can be stored at very low temperatures and used in the future.
Today, there are three approaches to producing influenza vaccines. The first and oldest method is the conventional egg-derived influenza vaccine, which is used by current licensed influenza vaccines. The second approach is a cell culture-derived influenza vaccine, which is faster and more responsive to market needs. The third and most recent method is synthetic vaccines.
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Frequently asked questions
No, influenza vaccines do not contain fetal cells or pieces of DNA that are recognisable as human DNA.
Fetal cells were originally used because viruses tend to grow better in human cells than animal cells. Fetal cells have not divided as many times as other cell types, so they can be used for longer. They can also be stored at very low temperatures and used in the future.
Yes, there are several alternative methods for producing influenza vaccines, including conventional egg-derived influenza vaccines and synthetic vaccines.
Yes, vaccines containing fetal cell lines have been thoroughly tested and are safe. The purification process during manufacturing ensures that the vaccine does not contain fetal tissue or cells.
There has been some debate about whether individuals who disagree with abortion or are members of certain religions can morally accept vaccines made from fetal cell lines. However, it is important to note that vaccines do not contain fetal cells, and the original fetal cell lines were obtained decades ago.
