The covid-19 vaccine from the multinational company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has come across the Catholic Church in the United States where some bishops recommend not to use this serum as it was developed from stem cells obtained from abortions
The last to join this reluctance was Bishop Robert Deeley of the Diocese of Portland, who has asked his parishioners to opt for vaccines other than J&J
In a statement, Deeley said that “if one can choose between equally safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19, choose those that are least associated with abortion-derived cell lines.”
“Therefore,” he continued, “if someone has the option of choosing a vaccine, those of Pfizer and Moderna should be chosen earlier than Johnson & Johnson’s “.
Abortion, at the center of controversy
Deeley thus summed up the sentiment of some officials of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States, who made his position clear this week
The chair of that institution’s Doctrine Committee, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, head of the conference’s Pro-Life Activities Committee, issued a statement on February 2 stating that expressed doubts about J & J’s preparation, which “raises questions about the moral permissibility of the use of vaccines developed, tested and / or produced using cell lines derived from abortions.”
And they emphasized that just as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines used these types of cells in their tests, but not in their production, J & J’s has been developed, tested and manufactured with it
For that reason, they don’t recommend choosing the J&J serum if you can choose to receive one of the other two.
However, they left the door open for J&J, citing the recommendation of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which believes that “when vaccines against covid-19 that are not ethically objectionable are not available, it is morally acceptable to receive covid-19 vaccines that have used fetal cell lines from abortions in its research and production process. “
Some US dioceses have taken a similar position, such as New Orleans or Pittsburg, advising Catholics to opt for Pfizer and Moderna preparations over J&J, although others, such as Bishop Robert W. McElroy, who leads the San Diego leadership, argue that it is legitimate to receive one of three nationally approved vaccines
“Because we live in a complicated world, Catholic moral teaching is sometimes very complex and has nuances of reasoning about how to address the problems of balancing right and wrong when faced with ethical options,” said McElroy. .
Getting vaccinated, an act of “true love”
But – he continued – on the specific moral and pastoral issue of receiving vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca, I want to make it clear to the Catholic communities of San Diego and the counties that at this time of pandemic, with limited vaccine options available to bring about a cure for our country and our world, it is completely morally legitimate to receive one of the four
And he emphasized that when you receive one of these drugs, you are showing “true love” for God and your neighbor.
Fetal tissue from abortions has been used in scientific research for decades, such as finding treatments for Ebola or cancer
According to an article in the magazine Science last June, cells derived from abortions have been used since the 1960s in the manufacture of vaccines, such as those against rubella, chicken pox or hepatitis A; and to develop treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or haemophilia.
Per. C6, cells of a fetus, the result of an abortion in 1985
According to this text, as of June 2020, there are at least five candidates for covid-19 vaccines used one of two human fetal lines: HEK-293 and PER.C6
PER.C6 is exactly a cell line owned by Janssen, a subsidiary of J&J, which is developed from cells of the retina of an 18 week old fetus, the result of an abortion in 1985.
J & J’s vaccine, which uses PER.C6, was approved for emergency use in the US last weekend, along with those from Pfizer and Moderna.
Be prepared It just requires a dose and storage temperatures that are not that extreme like the other two alternatives, so the logistics of serum administration is simpler.
Until now the citizens of that country have not had the option to choose the covid-19 vaccine they wantas it depends on the dose available where they are receiving it.
AESC