Roman Catholic leaders in St. Louis and New Orleans advise Catholics that the Covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, recently approved for use in the US., is “morally compromised” because it is produced using a cell line derived from an aborted fetus. The Archdiocese of New Orleans says the decision to get a vaccine is one of individual conscience.
In its statement late last week, it stopped advising Catholics not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but adds that Catholics must choose coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer – if they are available
The Archdiocese of St. Louis on Tuesday encouraged Catholics to seek out the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and avoid the Johnson & Johnson version if possible. Like the Archdiocese of New Orleans statement, the St. Louis statement called the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “morally compromised.” However, the St. Louis statement emphasized that Catholics can get that vaccine “in good conscience” if no other alternative is available.
Later Tuesday, a statement was released by chairpersons of the Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Commissions of the United States on doctrine and abortion issues issued a statement reiterating the moral concerns. It said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are preferred “if one has the option of choosing a vaccine.”
While Johnson & Johnson does not dispute church officials’ claim that an abortion-derived cell line is used in its manufacturing, Johnson & Johnson released a statement on Tuesday emphasizing that there is no fetal tissue in its vaccine.
Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is made using a harmless cold virus called an adenovirus, the same technology it used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The adenovirus is grown using a so-called immortalized cell line, and the virus is then extracted and purified.
There are several types of cell lines that were created decades ago from fetal tissue and are widely used in medical manufacturing, but the cells in them today are clones of the early cells, not the original tissue.
The US Conference of Bishops said in a January statement that “abortion-derived” cell lines were used to test the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, but not in their development or production.
In Ohio, people will be able to choose which injection they want, but the Johnson & Johnson vaccine really was the only option for 84-year-old Nancy Heber, CBS chief correspondent David Begnaud reports This Morning. She has several allergies to various drugs, including the solution that turns the Moderna and Pfizer freeze-dried vaccines into a liquid.
“I thought when it would be my turn,” Heber said after receiving the shot from Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday. “I am so excited that today was my day for freedom.”
The archdiocese’s statements sparked renewed religious discussions about the vaccine and the use of abortion-derived cells. In December, the Vatican said that “it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have utilized cell lines from aborted fetuses” in the research and manufacturing process when “ethically flawless” vaccines are not available to the public.
Pope Francis has often spoken of the need to ensure that vaccines are widely available, especially for the poor and marginalized people. And last month, a decree signed by the governor of the Vatican city-state said that Vatican workers who opt out of vaccination without a proven medical reason could be subject to sanctions, including getting fired
The Archdiocese of New Orleans released its statement Friday, the day before the Food and Drug Administration approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for use in the US.
Asked on Tuesday about the New Orleans Archdiocese statement, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards – a rare anti-abortion Democrat – stressed the need for people to use one of the available approved vaccines to prevent the spread of the virus. stop.
Edwards said he spoke with Archbishop Gregory Aymond about the statement on Sunday. “I am not reading his statement as a full message to people who are Catholic or otherwise not to use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” Edwards said.
“I encourage everyone to take the first vaccine available to them.”
He took note of a statement issued Monday by Bishop Michael Duca of Baton Rouge.
Duca acknowledged “moral concerns” about the newly approved vaccine. However, he added, “if for a reasonable circumstance you can only get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you should feel free to do so for your safety and for the common good.”
This is comparable to the guidelines issued by the American Bishops’ Conference in January. Given that the COVID-19 virus poses serious health risks, it may be morally acceptable to obtain a vaccine using abortion-derived cell lines if there are no other vaccines available that are comparable in safety and efficacy unrelated to abortion, “the January guideline said. said.