Q. I understand people may morally receive COVID vaccines, but I’d like to encourage pharmaceutical companies to make vaccines without using unethical development techniques. How can I do that?
A. Several Catholic organizations have provided sample letters to do just this. For example, the Catholic Medical Association provides this text:
Dear _______,
I am (or We are) writing to thank you for the outstanding work __________ (company) has done in vaccine research and development. I, along with millions of Americans, appreciate and support your ongoing efforts to develop effective, safe and widely available vaccines against serious, potentially fatal infectious diseases.
However, I — along with many Americans — must also strenuously object to the unethical and unnecessary use of tissue, cells, or cell lines derived from voluntary abortions or human embryos in vaccine design, development or production.
While many will consent to receiving such morally tainted vaccines for the common good, we do so under duress due to their association with the exploitation of innocent human life, no matter how remote.
As a nation, we must all work to restore the fundamental principle that the dignity of every human life must be defended from its inception to natural death. This duty is particularly significant for the pharmaceutical industry, whose mission is to safeguard life and health without compromising fundamental ethical standards.
I implore you to work expeditiously toward the goal of developing safe and effective vaccines for the welfare of all without human exploitation and thereby avoid placing anyone in the position of having to choose between being vaccinated against a serious disease or violating his or her conscience.
Sincerely, ____
Father Tad Pacholczyk, PhD, included a similar sample letter in his “Making Sense of Bioethics” column published in the Register Dec. 18.
Letters like this may be sent to resources such as:
The FDA:
The Honorable Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.
Commissioner
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
Pfizer:
Angela Hwang, President
Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals
235 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
https://www.pfizer.com/contact
Moderna:
Stephen Hoge, MD, President
Moderna Global Headquarters
200 Technology Square
Cambridge, MA 02139
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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AstraZeneca: https://www.astrazeneca-us.com/contact-us/product-information.html
Johnson and Johnson: https://www.ccc-consumercarecenter.com
