Were fetal stem cells used in the production of the COVID vaccines?
Many, including me, are seeking the truth about the use of fetal stem cells in the production of the COVID-19 vaccines now being released or nearing release to the public. Numerous articles are being published. Although uncertainties remain, Catholic ethicists and evangelical theologians are writing that it is moral to take the vaccine.
At CAP, we’ve reviewed numerous articles. Below we’ll share with you the ones we’ve found to be the most helpful from trustworthy sources. Then, you can answer the question for yourself.
From Dr. Dr. Albert Mohler: “The Christian Tradition and the Question of Vaccines: Seven Principles for Christian Thinking
“…these are self-replicating cell lines used in medical research. The fact is that many of these do go back to tissue taken from aborted fetuses, and there is some involvement, in most of the major COVID-19 vaccines, in the use of these fetal cell lines. Most importantly, what is known as HEK293. And the original cells for that cell line were taken from tissues that were the result of an abortion of a child, back in the Netherlands, in the 1960s. The cell line developed about 1972.”
“…we condemn… the use of any tissues from aborted human babies, period. Any tissues taken from aborted fetuses are illegitimate, period.
“…no one who is producing these COVID-19 vaccines had any direct involvement in bringing about the abortion of a single child, whether back in the 1960s or in the present, there is no current involvement.”
“…there is no fetal tissue whatsoever in any of the major COVID-19 vaccines, not a bit, that’s encouraging.”
“But at the same time, without the HEK293 line, which does go back to an aborted fetus in the Netherlands, the fact is, we would not have this vaccine. And that’s a tragedy of history.”
“We as Christians would not allow ourselves any direct, rational, understandable, intentional, conscious involvement in tissues that were taken from an aborted fetus if we had any control over it whatsoever.”
Take time to read Dr. Mohler’s entire piece. He states he will take the vaccine.
Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI)
CLI, the research arm of the Susan B. Anthony List, has done extensive research. The encouraging news is that their analysis found that a majority of the vaccine candidates did not use the abortion-derived cell lines, including the leading ones supported by President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed like Moderna and Pfizer.
According to their research, neither the Pfizer vaccine nor the Moderna vaccine were produced or developed using aborted-derived fetal cells. Researchers, however, did use cells from aborted-derived cell lines (from the 60s and 70s) to confirm their research. The big take-away here is that, once now confirmed, no additional fetal cells will be needed for the continued creation of the vaccine. There are no aborted-derived fetal cells in the vaccine itself.
One bioethicist wrote, “Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccine poses any significant moral concern. Any moral issues with both are so remote and minor that they should prevent nobody from getting either of them.”
Take time to review the CLI showing extensive data showing all the vaccines produced with and without these aborted-derived cell lines.
Joe Carter penned a helpful, easy to understand piece at The Gospel Coalition, stating,
“While immortalized cell lines began with fetal cells, they no longer contain fetal body parts, and no fetal tissue remains. No cells remain from the original fetal tissue, so they are not themselves “fetal cell.”
CAP has always supported a person’s right of conscience. Everyone should be free to live, work, and raise their families according to their deeply held beliefs. It is incumbent upon us all to make such important decisions based on facts.
For more information, please consider these sources on the issue:
- Are COVID Vaccines Ethically Acceptable? by John Stonestreet and Shane Morris of BreakPoint
- Vaccines and Doubly Remote Cooperation in Evil by Matthew Schneider in Public Discourse
- COVID Vaccines are Moral to use, say Ethicists, Catholic Bishops by Bob Smietana in Religious News Service
- Update: COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates and Abortion-Derived Cell Lines Charlotte Lozier Institute
- Fetal Tissue and the COVID-19 Vaccine by Andrew Walker
- The FAQs: Are Fetal Cells Being Used in COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments? by Joe Carter of the Gospel Coalition
- We Planned to get Vaccinated: A Christian Moral Perspective by Matthew Arbo, C. Ben Mitchell, and Andrew Walker in Public Discourse
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