PPL frequently receives inquiries about the science and ethics of vaccines. Recently we were asked to clarify questions concerning the coming Covid vaccines. The question is timely and concerning - and as it turns out, complicated.
PPL has two physicians on our board who have a wide range of reliable medical sources. Here is one response:
The answer is not the same for every Covid vaccine. The first 2 vaccines to become available are Pfizer and Moderna. They are what I would call “a little tainted”. They did not use fetal cells in either the development nor in the production of the vaccines, but did use cell lines from an aborted human fetus in the brief period of animal testing.
The next two vaccines in the pipeline are a different story. Both Astro-Zeneca and Johnson and Johnson are “heavily tainted” and not only used cell lines from an aborted fetus in development and testing but also ongoing in vaccine production.
Further down the pipeline are a number of vaccine candidates that will not be available soon. Some used aborted fetal cell lines heavily, some have not yet used them (but might - GSK will probably be like Pfizer and Moderna) and some such as the John Paul Institute have a policy not to use them.
On December 2, 2020, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Pediatricians, the Catholic Medical Association and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations published a Joint Statement of Physician Support for Ethical Vaccines, with the recommendation that:
Health care professionals and hospital systems should make the source of their vaccines known to the public, with specific information regarding those that are ethically produced. Providing this transparency to those who rely on them is a foundation of good medical care. In addition, patients and their families should not hesitate to contact their health care professionals and request specific information about the vaccines available and their sources. This applies not only to COVID-19 vaccines, but all other routine vaccinations. Most vaccines have ethical alternatives, and with the public’s expectations of ethical options, the production of unethical vaccines will decline and morally acceptable vaccines will replace them.
The full statement can be read here.
Additionally, current information regarding potential vaccines for COVID-19, including details regarding the possible use of abortion-derived fetal cell lines, can be found at the Charlotte Lozier Institute website: https://lozierinstitute.org