More on Vaccines Derived from Aborted Fetal Tissue
Yesterday I posted about vaccines manufactured using tissue from aborted babies. Sounds like a sick Internet myth, doesn’t it? So I did a little extra research, and here’s what I learned.
1. I don’t think it’s a myth. Because if Wikipedia says it, it’s most likely true.
“The Rubella component, Meruvax, is propagated using a human cell line (WI-38, named for the Wistar Institute) derived in 1961 from embryonic lung tissue. This cell line was originally prepared from tissues of aborted fetuses, raising religious objections.”
2. Rubella is not so dangerous to Savannah as it is to any pregnant women she encounters — or, more ironically, to the unborn babies of any pregnant women she encounters.
“Rubella is most serious because of its ability to produce defects in a developing fetus if the mother is infected during early pregnancy. Congenital rubella syndrome occurs in 25% or more of infants born to women who acquired rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy.” whereas “In children and adults, rubella is usually mild and may even go unnoticed.” (From NIH.gov.)
Not that this should change the importance of getting Savannah that vaccine. The crusade to vaccinate against Rubella is intended to prevent others from spreading the disease to pregnant women, and that’s a cause I’d like to support.
3. The vaccines do not require a continuous supply of aborted babies. They were initially created using a single cell line in 1961, and if Roe vs. Wade were reversed today, the vaccine could still be manufactured just as it is today.
4. The Catholic community in particular seems to be aware of this issue. This Catholic blogger also wondered if the aborted-babies-in-vaccines claim was a myth and did her own very thorough research.
5. A couple thoughtful articles on the ethics of using these vaccines.
Real Question: What Would Jesus Do?
Maybe this is old news, but I’m shocked. At least one of the vaccines coming up soon on Savannah’s schedule is going to contain an ingredient that I can’t imagine injecting into her body.
What am I talking about?
Not thimerosal.
Not aluminum.
I’m talking about aborted fetal tissue.
Can this world get any more depraved?
What is a Christian mom to do? If I give Savannah a Rubella vaccine, it is going to contain cells from an aborted human life. I can’t stand the thought of that.
Our pediatrician tells us they can’t get us the MMR vaccines as three separate vaccines (the supply is really low, at least for the time being). So if we avoid Rubella, it probably means avoiding MMR altogether (because the combined MMR also contains cells harvested from unborn children). Neglecting to give her any MMR vaccine seems like a bad idea, but how could I knowingly use the vaccine to benefit my baby when it was created using the body of a murdered baby?
On the other hand, the vaccine did not cause or even influence the abortion. If the abortion was going to happen anyway, should I just say a prayer for the poor child whose life was lost before it began, and use the vaccine so there won’t be a second needless death?
What on earth is the Right Thing to do?
Updated 10:47 to give hat tip to Jess at Making Home.
Family of N 
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