The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) covid-19 vaccine has run into the Catholic Church in the United States, where some bishops are recommending not to use this serum as it is developed with stem cells obtained from abortions.
The latest to join these reluctances has been Bishop Robert Deeley of the Diocese of Portland, who has asked its parishioners to opt for vaccines other than J&J.
In a statement, Deeley stated that “if anyone can choose between equally safe and effective vaccines against covid-19, vaccines with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen.”
“Therefore,” he continued, “if someone has the ability to choose a vaccine, those from Pfizer and Moderna should be chosen first than Johnson & Johnson. “
Abortion, at the center of the controversy
Deeley summed up in this way the feelings of some leaders of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who made clear his stance this week.
The chair of the Doctrine Committee of this institution, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, head of the Provide Activities Committee of the conference, issued a Feb. 2 communiqué in which they expressed their doubts about J & J’s preparation, Which “raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested and / or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines.”
And they stressed that, just as Pfizer and Moderna vaccines used this type of cell in their testing, but not in their production, the one from J&J has been developed, tested and manufactured with them.
For this reason, they advised that J & J serum should not be chosen if one can choose to receive either of the other two.
However, they left the door open for J&J, citing the recommendation of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Vatican Faith, which considers that “when vaccines against covid-19 that are not ethically reprehensible are not available , it is morally acceptable to receive covid-19 vaccines that have used abortion fetal cell lines in their research and production process “.
Some American dioceses have adopted a similar stance, such as that of New Orleans or Pittsburg, which have advised Catholics to opt for the preparations of Pfizer and Moderna over that of J & J, although others such as Bishop Robert W. McElroy, who runs the San Diego, they argue that it is legitimate to receive any of the three approved vaccines in the country.
“Because we live in a complicated world, Catholic moral teaching is sometimes very complex and has nuances in its reasoning, on how to navigate matters of balancing good and evil, when confronting ethical choices.” , McElroy reflected.
Vaccination, 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 in the current pandemic, with limited vaccine options available to achieve a cure for our nation and our world, it is completely morally legitimate to receive any of the four“.
And he stressed that when any of these drugs are received, “true love” is being shown to God and neighbor.
Fetal abortion tissue has been used for decades in scientific research, such as finding treatments for Ebola or cancer.
According to a magazine article Science last june cells derived from abortions have been used since the 60s of last century in the manufacture of vaccines, such as those for rubella, chickenpox or hepatitis A; as well as to develop treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or hemophilia.
Per.C6, cells of a fetus, the result of a 1985 abortion
According to this text, as of June 2020, at least five candidates for covid-19 vaccines they used one of two human fetal lines: HEK-293 and PER.C6.
Precisely, PER.C6 is a cell line owned by Janssen, a subsidiary of J&J, which was developed from retinal cells of an 18-week-old fetus, fruit of an abortion in 1985.
The J & J vaccine, which employs PER.C6, received authorization for emergency use in the US last weekend, in addition to those from Pfizer and Moderna.
this prepared it only requires a dose and not so extreme storage temperatures like the other two alternatives, so serum administration logistics is easier.
So far, the citizens of this country they have not had the option to choose the covid-19 vaccine they want, As it depends on the dose that is available at the place where they receive it.
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