COVID-19 Vaccines

Resources and Guidance on Ethical Questions

Catholics have raised a number of questions regarding the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for COVID-19. 
 
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and U.S. bishops have made it clear that it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process if there are no other available vaccines comparable in safety and efficacy with no connection to abortion. 
 
If it is possible to choose among a number of equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. If a vaccine with no connection to abortion-derived cell lines is not readily available, vaccines that used such cell lines only for testing would be preferable to those that use such cell lines for ongoing production. Such choices may not be possible, however, especially in the early stages of vaccine distribution.
 
For further details, please see the following resources:

For an explanation of the Catholic moral principles behind these questions (e.g., "remote cooperation with evil," etc.), watch this video which features neurosurgeon and bioethicist Dr. Steve Doran: