Pro-Life Group Warns Doctors, Patients on Abortion-Based Polio Vaccine
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 7, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A leading pro-life group that monitors the use of fetal cells from abortions in vaccinations is warning doctors and patients about a new polio vaccine. Children of God for Life is calling on both to "just say no" to the newly-licensed vaccine Pentacel made by Sanofi Pasteur.
On June 26, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the vaccine as part of the immunization schedule for children.
That’s despite the fact that vaccines that were not derived with the controversial fetal cells have been on the market and in use for years.
"We find it strange that the ACIP would recommend Pentacel in particular when children are already receiving untainted versions of these vaccines in their routine series of shots," Debi Vinnedge, the director of the group, told LifeNews.com Monday.
Pentacel is a combination vaccine used to prevent Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DTaP) plus HiB and Polio.
Vinnedge says the polio portion of the vaccine uses the aborted fetal cell line MRC-5, taken from the lung tissue of a baby who became a victim of an abortion at 14 weeks into pregnancy.
"If a 5 in 1 vaccine is desired, why not recommend the ethical version, Pediarix, by Glaxo SmithKline?" Vinnedge asked. "The only difference between the two is that Pediarix protects against Hepatitis-B instead of HiB."
She said the use of the new immoral vaccine doesn’t make it easier for either doctors or patients.
"Doctors using Pediarix today give separate shots for HiB. With Pentacel they will still have to give separate shots for Hepatitis-B so its not like Pentacel is reducing the number of injections," she explained.
Vinnedge believes the push for Pentacel by the ACIP seems like a financial plug for Sanofi Pasteur, since sales of the vaccine may be lagging in both the US and Canada.
Last year, the pro-life group Canadian Physicians for Life successfully lobbied for access to Pediacel, a European version identical to Pentacel, except it does not use aborted fetal cell lines.
Leading medical groups for Christian professionals have joined Vinnedge’s organization in calling for pro-life doctors and patients to use moral vaccines not based on abortion.
In May 2006, the Catholic Medical Association issued a formal statement noting that, "When alternative vaccines are available, they must be used in place of those produced by immoral means."
Likewise, the Christian Medical and Dental Association have repeatedly called on the industry to stop using aborted fetal cell lines in vaccine production.
"It is our hope that physicians will simply continue purchasing the competing products they have used for years," Vinnedge concluded. "The only way these drug companies will get the message is when their bottom line suffers and in the case of Pentacel, we certainly hope it will."
Related web sites:
Children of God for Life – https://www.cogforlife.org
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