Dr. Elizabeth Abraham MD, MS | Dr. Mark Herbers MD
7387 Watson Road, St. Louis MO 63119
The Catholic Answer to Vaccines
What is the Catholic teaching on vaccination, especially abortion related vaccines? Surprisingly, there isn’t much controversy here- the Catholic Church has given specific teaching on the use of vaccines, including vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue. These vaccines are also known as fetal cell line vaccines and human diploid cell line vaccines.
In 2005, the Pontifical Academy for Life issued a document: “Moral Reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Foetuses.” The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith also approved this document.
This document says that we have a duty to request and use those vaccines which are produced in a morally acceptable way. We can do this by asking for specific brands of vaccines. In the United States, we recommend the following vaccine brand choices:
Ethical alternatives are available to the following vaccines:
| Do NOT use | Use | |
|---|---|---|
| Pentacel | Pediarix | Combination vaccine in infants & toddlers |
| Quadracel | Kinrix | Combination vaccine at 4 years old |
| Some polio vaccines | IPOL | Polio vaccines |
For adults, the GSK company makes an ethical shingles vaccine called Shingrix. Merck’s vaccine against shingles, Zostavax, is derived from aborted fetal cells.
For some vaccines there are no morally produced brands. In the United States, these vaccines are MMR, hepatitis A, and varicella. So should we use these vaccines, when there is no alternative? The Pontifical Academy for Life says we can use them “on a temporary basis” and “insomuch as is necessary in order to avoid a serious risk not only for one’s own children but also, and perhaps more specifically, for the health conditions of the population as a whole – especially for pregnant women.”
In the United States, the diseases prevented by the MMR, hepatitis A and varicella vaccines are present and do cause serious risk to life, including risk to developing humans in the womb and immunosuppressed persons. Using these vaccines constitutes a “proportionate cause” for a “very remote cooperation in evil” when no alternatives are available, according the to Vatican document.
Fetal cell line vaccines were originally developed using cells from aborted fetuses, but it is not necessary to use any new aborted fetal tissue to continue to manufacture these vaccines. The Vatican document implores all of us to “oppose by all means (in writing, through the various associations, mass media, etc.) the vaccines which do not yet have morally acceptable alternatives, creating pressure so that alternative vaccines are prepared, which are not connected with the abortion of a human foetus, and requesting legal control of the pharmaceutical industry producers.”
MyCatholicDoctor recommends this sample letter which can be sent to pharmaceutical companies to voice your views regarding human diploid cell line vaccines (courtesy of Dr. Elizabeth Abraham MD, MS and Mrs. Danielle Abril).
Here is a sample vaccine schedule which avoids vaccines derived from aborted fetal cells whenever possible and still meets CDC guidelines for full vaccination:
Immunization Schedule Minimizing Use of Abortion-Related Cell Lines1
| Age | Immunizations |
|---|---|
| Newborn | Hep B.2 |
| 2 Months | Rotavirus (oral) Pediarix3 (Combination: DtaP, Hep B, IPV4) PCV Hib5 |
| 4 Months | Rotavirus Pediarix (Combination: DtaP, Hep B, IPV) PCV Hib |
| 6 Months | Rotavirus6 Pediarix (Combination: DtaP, Hep B, IPV) PCV |
| 12 Months | MMR* Varicella*7 Hep A*8 |
| 15 Months | DtaP Hib PCV |
| 18 Months | Hep A* |
| 4 Years | Proquad* (Combination: MMR*, Varicella*) Kinrix9 NOT Quadracel (Combination: DtaP, Polio) |
| 10 Years | TdaP HPV series |
| 11-18 Years | Meningococcal series Varicella (if not received booster)* MMR (if not received booster)* |
This schedule was created by Dr. Elizabeth Abraham MD, MS.
Resources
- The Pontifical Academy for Life (PDF)
- CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH INSTRUCTION DIGNITAS PERSONAE ON CERTAIN BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS, especially paragraphs 34-35
- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (PDF)
- The Catholic Medical Association (PDF)
- National Catholic Bioethics Center statement
Footnotes
1 This vaccine schedule adheres to the CDC recommendations for immunizations. This schedule also adheres to standard schedule for well-child checks.
2 Hepatitis B is routinely administered to newborns in hospital. This should definitely be done in infants born to mothers with unknown or positive Hepatitis B status. It should also be given if followup is uncertain. If this is done, this vaccine schedule would result in an extra Hepatitis B dose being given (at 4 months). However, the overall shot number would be equal to a Pentacel*-based regimen, since a reduced number of shots could be given in the Hib series if PedvaxHib is used. Both Engerix & Recombivax are morally acceptable.
3 Two combination vaccines are on the market for reducing shot number during infancy. Pediarix combines DtaP, Hepatitis B, and IPV. Sanofi-Pasteur’s Pentacel* combines DTaP, Hib, and IPV. The polio component of IPV is grown in MRC-5, an abortion related cell line.
4 If polio vaccine needs to be given individually, use IPOL.
5 The PedvaxHib (Merck) only requires 2 months, 4 months, 15months. ActHib & Hiberix both require 2,4,6,15months. None of these are morally objectionable.
6 For the 3-dose rotavirus brand. There is also a 2-dose rotavirus brand. The 3 dose brand accommodates patients with latex precautions, including spina bifida patients.
7 In a family very concerned about shot number, ProQuad may be offered with an informed consent discussion of increased risk of side effects, specifically fever and 0.04% increased risk of febrile seizure at 12 months old. Risk for febrile seizure at 4 years old is very low and ProQuad may be used. (See reference)
8 The CDC estimates that hepatitis A resulted in ~100 deaths/year prior to the vaccine era. (See reference)
9 Kinrix and Quadracel are both combination vaccines for DtaP-IPV with a minimum age of 4 years. Sanofi-Pasteur’s polio component of Quadracel is grown in MRC-5 whereas in Kinrix, it is grown in the monkey vero cell line.
* Indicates that a vaccine or component of that vaccine was grown in an abortion related cell line. MMR, varicella, and hepatitis A have no ethical alternatives in the United States. Use to prevent serious communicable diseases in their individual and their spread in the community, including to vulnerable persons such as developing humans in the womb and immunosuppressed persons, constitutes a “proportionate cause” for a “very remote cooperation in evil” when no alternatives are available, per the 2005 document from the Pontifical Academy for Life on the matter of abortion related cell line use. Voicing objection by contacting manufacturers to develop ethical options is encouraged. A Catholic has a responsibility to use ethically developed vaccines whenever possible. A Catholic also has a duty, regardless of position, to voice objection to manufacturer and healthcare systems to make ethical vaccines available (Dignitas Personae, #34-35). For a parent or guardian, the keys are (1) use a Pediarix-based regimen instead of Pentacel in infancy, (2) At 4 years old, use Kinrix combo instead of Quadracel and (3) if individual polio needed, use IPOL.
Published December, 2018