In a clear insult to the Vatican, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans on Monday urged its parishioners to avoid Johnson and Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, calling it a “moral compromise” because of cells leaking from fetal tissue.
The stern statement comes just two days after the Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of Johnson and Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, which public health officials applauded because it requires only one dose and does not contain cumbersome, cold storage. . Obstacles.
“Archaeologists should inform athletes that the latest Johnson / Johnson & Johnson vaccine compromises ethically as it uses the abortion cell line in vaccine development and manufacture as well as testing,” the Archdiocese statement said.
Company officials said the vaccine formula did not contain fetal tissue. Like many vaccine manufacturers, Johnson & Johnson’s original vaccine uses cells derived from embryonic tissue. These cells can be traced back to the 1980s, and are commonly used in labs because they can replicate indefinitely, making sure they never run out.
Archdiocese’s stance was found to be at odds with that of the Vatican, which earlier this year stated that it was “morally acceptable” for Roman Catholics to receive any Covid-19 vaccine, also based on research that uses cells taken from aborted fetuses. Is.
In a statement Tuesday, Johnson and Johnson said “our Johnson Covid-19 vaccine contains no fetal tissue.”
“We are able to manufacture millions of doses using our engineered cell-line system that enables rapid production of new viral vaccines to combat many dangerous infectious diseases,” the company said in a statement.
The New Orleans Archdiocese statement offered only a trivial opening for Johnson and Johnson seekers seeking the vaccine, stating that any Covid-19 defense remains a matter of personal conscience with the advice of one’s healthcare provider.
“I have a lot of respect for the archbishop of New Orleans,” John Bell Edwards of the government told reporters on Tuesday. “I point out that I don’t read their statements as completely telling people, who are Catholics or else, that Johnson and Johnson vaccines do not benefit themselves.”
Edwards, who is Catholic, said he appreciated the moral issue raised by Arcadiosis, but appealed to his fellow Louisiana residents to strive “for the common good.”
“You have to weigh in with the general recommendation to end this epidemic,” Edwards said. “And one of the essentials is that we do this. The fastest way to do this is to employ all the vaccines.”
Dr. David Doucas, president of Humanities and Ethics at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, said most athletes will realize that there is hardly an option to get a vaccine – and they should take what is available.
“What would you take if you needed it now and got one in front of you now?” Ducas told NBC News on Tuesday. Now you have what is in front of you.
“If you can only get the vaccine from Johnson and Johnson, you should feel free to be safe for your safety and for the general public,” said Bishop Michael G. Duka, from nearby Baton Rouge.
Although Ducas agreed that as vaccines become available in large numbers, providers should be more transparent about what shots they are administering, saying: “Everything we do in life is based on trust decisions, at least to let people know. Wise. “
Gov. Edwards said they would work to create a system in which vaccinators would be told if their appointment would be for Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer.
“We are going to make sure that individuals, at the time of their appointment schedule, should know what type of vaccine will be carried at that appointment time,” he said.
