Deacon-doctor speaks on vaccine ethics

As questions and concerns are often raised about the ethics of vaccines, OSV News' Charlie Camosy recently spoke on these matters with Timothy P. Flanigan, a doctor and professor of medicine in the Infectious Diseases Division of the Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals and Brown Medical School. Flanigan also serves as a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island.

-- Charlie Camosy: Can you first tell us a bit about your academic and research background? And how it's related to your faith commitments?

-- Timothy Flanigan: I am an infectious disease physician, and on the faculty of the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island at St Theresa and St Christopher Church in our home town of Tiverton.

I've provided infectious disease care to adult patients for over 30 years and taught students and fellows in our program. It's been an incredible privilege to be a permanent deacon for over 10 years. What a joy to be both a deacon and a doctor!

-- Camosy: This issue has been around a long time, and it certainly revved up during the pandemic, but it is now back with the current administration in a new way: And that is the debate over how modern-day vaccines relate to the abortion. In particular, what do you think about the claim that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine contains "aborted fetus debris?"

-- Flanigan: It used to be commonplace for vaccines to be produced using cell lines that were derived from fetal cell lines that were originally derived from an aborted fetus. This is a serious issue, and fortunately most vaccines now do not utilize cell lines that were originally associated with an abortion.

Unfortunately, the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, as well as Hepatitis A and childhood varicella vaccines do utilize cell lines that were derived from aborted fetal cells decades ago. These vaccines contain purified attenuated virus and absolutely do not contain "aborted fetus debris".

-- Camosy: Good science is necessary for good ethics, of course, but science alone cannot give us ethical norms. How, in your view, should Catholics and others should think about the ethics surrounding use of vaccines? Especially those which have some relationship to abortion?

-- Flanigan: Catholics have courageously and charitably joined other people of good will in recognizing and speaking out against the termination of innocent life during abortion. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, "How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts."

We are experiencing a severe measles epidemic in this country currently. Measles is highly infectious and can cause severe illness and rarely death. In 2017, The Pontifical Academy for Life released a short document called "Clarifications on the medical and scientific nature of vaccination."

The 2017 document notes, "We believe that all clinically recommended vaccinations can be used with a clear conscience and that the use of such vaccines does not signify some sort of cooperation with voluntary abortion. While the commitment to ensuring that every vaccine has no connection in its preparation to any material originating from an abortion, the moral responsibility to vaccinate is reiterated in order to avoid serious health risks for children and the general population."

In light of the serious nature of childhood illness from measles, as well as other diseases, I would suggest parents have their children be vaccinated for these illnesses as recommended at this time.

But we still have to advocate for the development and production of vaccines that have no connection in its preparation to any material originating from an abortion.

-- Camosy: With that in mind, I've heard that developments have been underway to develop more alternatives that have no connection to abortion at all. Can you speak about what is coming down the pike on this?

-- Flanigan: Yes, it's very encouraging that effective December 2019, the vaccines commonly used in children Pentacel and Quadracel no longer use cell lines originally derived from aborted fetal cells.

In late 2019 the Sanofi Pasteur company announced that they are no longer using fetal cell lines for the Pentacel and Quadracel vaccines. Hopefully, all vaccine development in the future will not utilize cell lines that were derived from aborted fetal cells.

-- Camosy: What are some trusted resources you would recommend for folks who want to learn more?

-- Flanigan: This is sometimes difficult and finding trustworthy resources is absolutely essential. I'd ask readers to consider the National Catholic Bioethics Center which frequently provides up to date information that is both scientifically accurate and adheres to church teachings.

Among other resources, consider: "FAQ: On the use of vaccines." I'd also encourage readers to visit My Catholic Doctor which also addresses current issues in understandable and faithful language. In particular, consider visiting "The Catholic answer to vaccines." In addition, CDC.gov has updated information on childhood illnesses, as well as accurate treatment and prevention approaches.