Some groups had suggested that coronavirus vaccines were given to aborted fetal cells. Cells are actually designed and grown in laboratories from tissues acquired many decades ago and are not made directly from aborted fetuses.
The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said in a note approved by Pope Francis on Monday that receiving the shot was morally allowed.
“It is morally acceptable to receive vaccines against Covid-19 that have used aborted fetal cell lines in their research and production process,” the note says.
The statement was issued and signed by the head of the Congregation in response to several requests for guidelines on the use of the vaccine.
There have been some disagreements within the clergy regarding the ethics of taking a Covid-19 vaccine because it had used tissues recovered from two abortions that took place in the last century.
The connection to the abortion, which had prompted several bishops to express their opposition to the vaccine, has been rejected by the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had already issued a statement earlier this month stating that the use of Covid-19 vaccines is morally justified.
“Given the urgency of this crisis, the lack of alternative vaccines available and the fact that the connection between an abortion that occurred decades ago and receiving a vaccine produced today is remote, it can be inoculated with the new COVID- vaccines. 19 in these circumstances. “Morally justified.”
The statement adds that receiving the vaccines does not indicate cooperation with abortion, and that no endorsement should be considered in any way.
“The lawful use of these vaccines does not imply or should in any way imply that there is moral support for the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses.”
The Vatican declaration aims to address the moral issues surrounding the vaccine and is not intended to judge safety or efficacy.
The statement also called on governments, pharmaceutical companies and international organizations to pay extra attention to the equitable distribution of the vaccine to the poorest countries.
“There is also a moral imperative for the pharmaceutical industry, governments and international organizations to ensure that vaccines, which are medically effective and safe, as well as ethically acceptable, are also accessible to the most developed countries. poor so it’s not expensive for them, ”he said.