WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — The first Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses are expected to arrive in Wisconsin this week, but concerns are being heard from the Catholic community about getting the shot.
Nationally many dioceses have advised Catholics not to get the J & J vaccine.
Morally compromised are what leaders at the U.S. Conference of Bishops are calling the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
This comes with allegations that it was developed using a cell line from an aborted fetal tissue.
Company officials say it's not in the final vaccine.
"But as pro-life Wisconsinites we would say that any use of aborted fetal cell lines in either production or testing would be unethical," said Anna DeMeuse, Pro-Life Wisconsin Communications Director. “They’re incorporating those aborted fetal cell lines which of course would be in conflict with our Catholic faith which is against abortion."
As we continue to learn more about the vaccine, one Wisconsin doctor describes the vaccination development in this case.
“These cells are used in research to study different proteins to study how mRNA’s are used and how different scientific processes can work in human cells and they’re very well characterized and very well understood, and they are immortalized," said Dr. William Hartman, Anesthesiologist and principal investigator of the Astrazenca vaccine trial at UW Health in Madison.
Dr. Hartman going on to say it’s important not to also confuse these cells with stem cells.
“What has to be I guess understood is that these aren’t stem cells these are just cell lines and so stem cells are cells that can grow into a tissue," said Dr. Hartman.
The Green Bay Dioceses and the Wisconsin Catholic Conference say they are following guidance from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and urging Catholics to avoid it if you have a choice.
If possible, they recommend people choose a different vaccine.
You can click here to see the latest press release regarding the vaccine from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
For a statement on Covid-19 vaccines from theCatholic Bishops of Wisconsin click here.
An ethicist for the Diocese of Madison, the Reverend Father Joseph Baker, also released a more detailed review of the COVID-19 vaccines this past weekend. That statement is available here.
