Earlier this month, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit and six Catholic counterparts around the state warned about the Johnson & Johnson Covid shots, saying stem cells from aborted fetuses were used in testing and development of the product.
Now, the state must inform people of that connection, the Detroit Free Press reports:
When Michiganders get a Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine paid for with certain federal funds, a new state law mandates that they must be informed that it was developed using a stem cell line from an aborted fetus.
The requirement was tucked away inside a broader state bill that distributed federal Covid-19 funds. Although Congress approved billions of dollars for Michigan in December, it falls on the state Legislature to allocate the money.
A statement by the regional Catholic church this month said:
It is morally permissible to receive the vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna. Neither of these vaccines have used cell lines originating in tissue taken from aborted babies in their design, development and production.
However, both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine did use such a cell line in the confirmatory testing. This connection to the abortion is very remote, however, and it is important to keep in mind that there are varying levels of responsibility. Greater moral responsibility lies with the researchers than with those who receive the vaccine. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has indicated that it is morally permissible to be vaccinated if there are no alternatives and there are serious health risks. Such serious health risks are present due to the current pandemic.
The vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca are more morally problematic, however. They utilized in the design, production, development, and confirmatory testing a cell line that originated from tissue taken from an aborted baby. These vaccines may be received only if there are no other alternatives.
