Vaccines and Aborted Fetuses

by Kristen Hyler

What I wish I would have known before having my son vaccinated:

Like any mother I want what is best for my children and want to keep them healthy and disease-free. So I had my son vaccinated when he was an infant. However, after completing more in depth research on what is really in a vaccine, I discovered that several vaccines are made from elective aborted fetal cell lines. I also discovered this has been happening for over thirty years.

What is an elective aborted fetal cell line?

A cell line is defined as, “cells of a single type taken from an animal or a human and grown in the laboratory (1).” An elective aborted fetal cell line consists of cells taken from an aborted fetus. To qualify for a cell line the fetus has to be healthy and preserved within five minutes of the elective abortion so the cell tissues will stay alive for the scientific research (2). 

In 1962 Dr. Leonard Hayflick developed the WI-38 human diploid cell line which was established by an aborted three month old healthy female fetus (3). The fetus was dissected and the lung cells were extracted to be used as a host for viruses when making vaccines. These lung cells multiply and are used in several vaccines. Before Dr. Hayflick received this particular fetus, he went through several fetuses to establish the WI-38 cell line (4). This is true of all aborted fetal cell lines. For example at least eighty-one aborted fetuses were used in the making of the rubella vaccine (5).

In addition to the WI-38 fetal cell line, the following lines are also used in vaccines:

• MRC-5 fetal cell line – taken from the lung tissues of a 14-week old male fetus (6).
• WI-26 VA4 fetal cell line – taken from the lung of a male fetus (7).
• HEK 293 cell line – taken from the kidneys of a fetus (8), the number 293 in the cell line refers to the number of aborted fetuses it took before establishing this particular cell line (9).
• The PER C6 fetal cell line – taken from the kidneys of an 18 week old fetus (4).

Eventually the multiplication of the aborted fetal cells in these cell lines will stop because of its finite lifeline. Then more elective abortions will be necessary to develop another cell line. 

How is a vaccine made?

All of these cell lines are used in different vaccines. To make one of these vaccines, a virus of the disease is cultured with aborted fetal cells, combined with other chemical components, and then injected in a patient. This starts the immunological response. Anti-bodies attack this foreign antigen (the virus). If there is contact with the virus again in the future, the body already knows how to attack the virus, and theoretically, there would be immunity to the disease. Unlike bacteria, a virus needs live cells to replicate. So, all vaccines used against viral disease, like chicken pox, measles and polio, contain either human aborted fetal cells or animal cells (with the exception of two vaccines that use yeast).

Why does no one know about this?

Not many people are aware that many vaccines contain aborted fetal cells. For the most part the only way to find out this information is from a vaccine insert. The pharmaceutical companies include this insert with the vaccine package that is sent to the physician’s office. The insert describes in detail how and with what the vaccines are made. However, this information is not given to the patient. For example, the MMR vaccine insert made by MERCK reads, “…and (3) MERUVAX*II (Rubella Virus Vaccine Live), the Wistar RA 27/3 strain of live attenuated rubella virus propagated in WI-38 human diploid lung fibroblasts… (10).” Very few people would know exactly what that description means. The Wistar RA 27/3 is the rubella virus taken from an aborted fetus. The WI-38 human diploid lung fibroblast is a cell line also from an aborted fetus.

Why is this disturbing?

Part of the aborted fetus and its DNA are actually being injected into the patient receiving the vaccine made from an aborted fetal cell line. Why else is this disturbing? These vaccines have the possibility of encouraging further abortions. According to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal 1995, 153:545-552 (11) that reported,

“of the 122 [women] who indicated that they would consider abortion if they were pregnant, (17.2%) stated that they would be more likely to have an abortion if they could donate tissue for fetal tissue transplant and 24 (19.7%) were uncertain.”

In 1988 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) advisory committee stated to the Director of the NIH its concerns, “The possibility for using fetal tissue in research and transplantation might constitute motivation, reason, or incentive for a pregnant woman to have an abortion (12).” 

There is continued scientific research on medical treatments and vaccines which will require more aborted fetal cell lines thus the demand for aborted fetuses will need to be met.

What can be done?

Choose an alternative ethical vaccine. Many vaccines have an ethical alternative and are made by using cells from chick embryos, monkey, hamster ovary, rabbit and caterpillar cells. Ask your physician for the ethical alternative type of vaccine. Be aware that not all vaccines have this alternative (i.e. the MMR and the chicken pox vaccine). Refer to Table 1 for the available alternatives and for a phone number for physicians to order the alternative vaccines.

Be informed. No one can be forced to receive a vaccine. Most U.S. States allow exemption to the mandatory immunization of every child. These exemptions could include medical reasons and conflict with religious or philosophical beliefs.

Support current legislation. There is a current legislation proposal called the Fair Labeling and Informed Consent Act (FLICA) that will require pharmaceutical companies to inform pharmacies, health care professionals and patients whenever aborted fetal or embryonic material is used in a drug or vaccine. To support this legislation check out this link on the internet: http://www.cogforlife.org/flica.html.

Inform others. Please pass this information on to anyone that would also wish to know what is in a vaccine.

Works Cited

1. Everything Bio. Everything Bio. Everything Bio-An encompassing biology resource. [Online] 2005-2007. [Cited: March 19, 2009.]
2. Norrby, Erling. "Listen to the Music: The Life of Hilary Koprowski (review)". Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. Spring 2001, Vol. 44, 2, pp. 304-306.
3. ViroMed Laboratories, Inc. ViroMed Laboratories. [Online] Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 2001. [Cited: Feb. 9, 2009.] http://www.viromed.com/services/product/wi38.htm.
4. Leiva, Rene M.D. Life Canada. Life Canada Inc. [Online] 2006. [Cited: March 5, 2009.] A Brief History of Human Diploid Cell Strains. Open Page.
5. Children of God for Life. "Vaccines from Abortion: The Hidden Truth. Murfreesboro : s.n., September 2008. Pamphlet.
6. ViroMed Laboratories. Viro Med Laboratories, Inc. Viro Med Laboratories. [Online] Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 2001. [Cited: Feb. 9, 2009.] http://www.viromed.com/services/product/mrc5.htm.
7. Beatrice. Hyper CLDB. Biotech. [Online] 4.200201. [Cited: Feb. 26, 2009.] http://www.biotech.ist.unige.it/cldb/cl4702.html.
8. Shaw, Gerry. McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida. [Online] University of Florida. [Cited: March 19, 2009.] Gainesville, FL 32611. http://www.mbi.ufl.edu/~shaw/293.html.
9. Children of God For Life. Children of God for Life. [Online] Children of God for Life a Non-Profit 501(c)3 organization. [Cited: Feb. 19, 2009.] http://www.cogforlife.org.
10. MERCK & Co., Inc. MERCK: Where patients come first. Merck & Co., Inc. [Online] 1995-2009 Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889. [Cited: Feb. 9, 2009.] M-M-R II Vaccine Insert. Visit Site .
11. Nebraska Catholic Conference. Nebraska Catholic Conference. [Online] 2000-2008. [Cited: March 18, 2009.] Fetal Tissue Research. http://www.nebcathcon.org/fetal_tissue.htm#TalkPT.
12. Jonsen, Albert R, Veatch, Robert M. and Walters, LeRoy. Source Book in Bioethics. reprint, illustrated. s.l. : Georgetown University Press, 1998. p. 105. ISBN 0878406859, 9780878406852.

Click here for ABORTED FETAL CELL LINE PRODUCTS AND ETHICAL ALTERNATIVES chart

Share this page: