Last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and leaders of many healthcare, bioethics, and pro-life organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and leaders of many healthcare, bioethics, and pro-life organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Their letter urged the administration to make sure potential vaccines for Coronavirus (COVID-19) are developed ethically and free from any connection to abortion. The USCCB and these leaders strongly support efforts to develop an effective, safe, and widely available COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible. At the same time, they are calling on the government to “ensure that fundamental moral principles are followed in the development of such vaccines, most importantly, the principle that human life is sacred and should never be exploited.”
Among the dozens of vaccines currently in development, some are being produced using cell lines that were created from the cells of aborted babies, such as a vaccine currently in development from Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Other cell lines or processes that do not involve these cells from abortion are available, so there is NO REASON for a vaccine for COVID-19 to be connected to abortion. Thankfully, other potential COVID-19 vaccines such as those being developed by Sanofi Pasteur, Inovio, and the John Paul II Medical Research Institute utilize cell lines not connected to unethical procedures and methods.
Please take a few minutes to contact Secretary Alex Azar (DHHS) and ask him to ensure all Americans will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine free from ethical concerns. Thank you in advance for your action.